TVSquad

(S02E01) The question of whether or not to allow illegal immigrants to remain in this country and eventually become citizens of the United States is a hotly debated issue. Passions run deep on both sides of the coin, and those positions seem to be deeply held and mostly inflexible.

The premiere episode of the second season of 30 Days, produced by Morgan Spurlock (of Super Size Me fame), focuses on the issue of illegal immigration by having Frank George, a member of the Minuteman vigilante group that voluntarily patrols the United States/Mexico border, live with a family of illegals for a period of 30 days in order to understand their situation.

Frank is a pretty strident believer in that all illegal aliens should be sent back to Mexico, no questions asked. He says that the only rights these people have is "the right to be deported." In other words, he's not too keen on what these folks have gone through to get here and what they are leaving behind. To be fair, he does have the right to his opinion, which is shared by millions of other people.

The interesting twist in all of this is that Frank is an immigrant himself. He and his family escaped from Cuba back in the late 50s, so if anyone would be sympathetic to the plight of those people who come to this country in search of a better life, it would be him.

So here goes Frank going to East Los Angeles, which he says looks more like Mexico than the United States. He ends up going to the Gonzalez family apartment, which is roughly 500 square feet in size housing Rigoberto and Paty Gonzalez and their five (that's right, 5) children.

Frank has been given three rules to abide by--he must leave behind any personal ID, move in and stay with the family for 30 days, and be willing to work as a day laborer. It goes without saying the initial meeting between Frank and the Gonzalezes is filled with tension. The family lays out their position and why they are here in America, and Frank pretty much gives his stump speech on how they should go back to Mexico and come back legally. The dynamic between Frank and the oldest daughter Armida is pretty interesting. Armida is an honor student and is looking to get a scholarship to college (hopefully Princeton).

Armida comes across as quite an intelligent young woman who makes some very cogent points, but Frank wants none of it. He gets into a hot debate with her high school teacher at a family celebration in a local restaurant, so it looks like he will not be moved, no matter what.

We also get to see how the Gonzalezes make ends meet, with Rigoberto working various odd jobs and Paty collecting cans and bottles for recycling. (It's no secret that Spurlock is picturing them in an extremely sympathetic light.)

After a while, Frank begins to soften. He is beginning to see that these people are struggling and that they don't feel they're taking any jobs or handouts from U.S. citizens, but he still displays his stridence when he refuses to participate in a candelight vigil for illegals in L.A.

It doesn't seem that he will be moved, but then after learning more about the Gonzalez family, he goes down to Mexico to visit Rigoberto's brother and parents, who the family hasn't seen in 12 years. This is where the story really hits you in the gut. We see firsthand the abject poverty these folks in Mexico are subjected to, and you almost come away not blaming them for escaping that hell and taking their chances in coming to the U.S.

Frank takes video of the family, and brings it back to the Gonzalezes to see. Of course, it is a very emotional scene, and Frank is visibly touched and later admits that he is developing another perspective over the immigration issue. He even says he might not want to be a Minuteman anymore.

Armida later gets accepted to a local college after being rejected by Princeton, so there seems to be some hope, at least for her. As the 30-day period ends, Frank has become very attached to the family, and pledges his friendship and offers to sponsor them if and when they decide to become citizens. We later learn that Frank is still a Minuteman, but he doesn't patrol the border anymore and communicates with legislators instead.

After watching this story, whatever feelings you may have about the immigrant issue are bound to be somewhat affected. You definitely feel sympathy for those people who come to this country illegally in search of a better life from what they've experienced, but you also can understand the feelings of people like Frank who believe that those people who came to this country legally and struggled to make a better life are being short-changed by those who would exploit the illegals for their own economic gain.

It's a very difficult issue, and one 60-minute television documentary isn't going to change everyone's minds one way or the other. However, after watching this show, I have gained a greater respect for the feelings of both sides of the issue and makes me want to think about it a lot more. If that was the goal of this episode of 30 Days, then they've succeeeded.