Educational Media Reviews Online

Many Americans feel that immigrants are a burden; it is felt that they take away jobs that should go to American citizens, and that they are a cause of higher taxes because they require education, healthcare, and public assistance benefits. The current backlash in the United States against immigrants, both legal and illegal, is the primary focus of this program.

It presents a brief, recent history of immigration control in this country and also outlines and examines the stricter guidelines that have been implemented with the 1996 passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act.

This program attempts to present a balanced look at this complex social and economic problem by providing a diversity of opinions. The two primary speakers are California Governor Pete Wilson and New York City Mayor Rudolph Giulani. Governor Wilson, who is well-known for his support of restrictive immigration policies, articulates his concerns about the $3 billion that California citizens must pay in order to pay for the healthcare and education of illegal immigrants, and for the incarceration of illegal immigrant felons. Mayor Giuliani, on the other hand, presents his view that immigrants, legal or illegal, who are already here should not be denied benefits because they are a positive economic and social benefit, a source of vitality, creativity, and energy for the city.

Several other experts provide their opinions, including Dan Lungren (California Attorney General who supports very restrictive immigration policies and California Proposition 187), Dr. Deborah Anker (a Harvard Law Professor who is very critical of recent immigration legislation), Doris Meissner (Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization Services who is responsible for enforcing many aspects of the current federal legislation), and Romano L. Mazzoli (former U.S. Congressman who was instrumental in writing and passing the Simpson-Mazzoli immigration bill a decade ago).

This is an excellent program that attempts to provide a balanced view of this complex problem. Both audio and video are clear and production quality is excellent. One limitation should be noted here: in an attempt to cover such a complex issue, it quickly jumps from topic to topic without giving each one the depth that it requires. It covers illegal immigrants, legal immigrants, political assylum applicants, a history of immigration control with an emphasis on the 1996 legislation, immigration backlash, statistics about immigration, and of course the speakers noted above, all in a 29-minute span. A single viewing may not be enough for many viewers.

This program is recommended for adult audiences. It is suitable for public libraries, high school media centers, and college and university media collections that support undergraduate or graduate programs in sociology, ethnic studies, political science, and public policy.