Mexican farmworker doc debuts this week
by David Sommerstein on June 28th, 2010
With the recession and financial meltdown having eclipsed immigration issues over the last year and a half, the question of (largely illegal) hispanic labor on North Country dairy farms has slipped off the radar.
There are glimpses, like when border patrol detains immigrants in a local farm raid, or when a fire engulfs the trailer where the workers live. But like the farmworkers themselves, the issue is consigned to the shadows.
A new documentary produced by the Vermont Migrant Farmworker Solidarity Project tries to shed new light on the subject. “Silenced Voices” will debut July 1 at the Burlington Black Box Theater and on July 6 at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Montpelier.
The trailer looks promising:
A pretty powerful clip, but I think they need an English major to review their titles.
Will it be available on Netflix?
Are they here LEGALLY? That’s the only question that needs to be asked.
Bret –
The answer is, in all likelihood, no. Most dairy farmers truly believe these farmworkers are keeping their industry alive. And yes, they are aware of the legal status of their workers, but they can hide behind a loophole that allows them to accept falsified social security documents without having to prove their veracity. Listen to this story…
http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/7386/farmers-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-law
David