For a low budget movie, I thought it was excellent! <br /><br />It equally exposes racist attitudes from some Asians (the scientist who had no regard for Lila's life), some white and African American people (as heartless) towards Mexican's, sheds light on the misused generic term "Latino" (a people and culture)as opposed to the more specific one of Mexicans which is just a nationality. It also shows us even other minority groups can become racist when they are not target themselves.<br /><br />It stirs history of who occupied those lands before the United States (Mexico), although there is no mention the same land was in turn, taken away from the native American Indians. If most people are going to learn history from Hollywood, then Hollywood should tell history right or not at all (partial, selective and biased segments don't count).<br /><br />Although it also sheds some light on Mexican-American relations and contributions that greatly outweigh welfare costs, this movie fails to address more basic and deeper issues, such as:<br /><br />1. Why aren't people who employ illegals forced to pay consequences for their actions? Why aren't they the ones to be named as dishonest employers who require long hours for low pay? If any illegal gets hurt, there is no insurance, they just "dispose" of the illegal somehow and replace them. This qualifies as slavery in my eyes. They are the bad guys; not the poor immigrants.<br /><br />2. If every illegal could become "legal", they would have the right to be paid the legal minimum wage or more, have their share of taxes withheld and be equal in every way. Of course that would take away the competitive advantage of employing illegals in the first place which is not very different from how African-Americans were once treated with the exception of no pay and more whippings.<br /><br />3. Smugglers are clearly in cahoots with officials on both sides of the border. It helps any state or country's economy to have a large cheap workforce that will cost nothing in future pensions, cannot vote, complain, demand better working conditions, get health care nor even admit they are there. <br /><br />Speaking Spanish, being Latino has nothing to do with it; there are also Chinese, Filipino's, Polish, Russians, and dozens of others that are smuggled into the U.S., Canada and European countries each day for the same purpose: a legion of cheap workers that must remain silent and live in fear. How arrogant and insolent to say that in this day and age we have eradicated slavery. Slavery lives on and will never disappear as long as there are countries that turn blind eyes.<br /><br />Kudo's to the Border Patrol for equal treatment: from what I know, most modern day American Police forces (with some exceptions) like to mistreat anyone they deem to weak to fight back, no matter what color, religion or race. All you need is someone to call 911 and down they come and unleash hell upon whomever they come across. When a system resorts to hiring thugs to protect us from thugs, anything can happen.<br /><br />Dr. Martin Luther King didn't fight only for African-Americans, he fought for the right to equal treatment of everyone; white, black, Hispanic, Asian, Filipino and everyone else. To grant basic rights to a selected few is putting one culture over another.<br /><br />For an employer to favor an illegal immigrant over a legal one or a local born is a crime not just against the government, but against that persons basic rights to fair pay, equal treatment, medical coverage and a retirement plan. Just because someone is illegal, that doesn't automatically mean it is permissible to mistreat and dehumanize them. Oh, and by the way, it is also a crime against humanity. <br /><br />My message to everyone who considers others to be different just because of language, color, culture or anything else and who likes movies: go see the Gatekeeper, it might tell you against who you should direct your anger. As long as you keep blaming the little guy who only want to feed their families, you are just spinning your wheels for nothing. Don't let those at the top who commit these crimes against illegals brainwash you into hating Mexicans or anyone else.<br /><br />Hypothetically: If I have to choose between a legal immigrant / local born and an illegal immigrant, the choice will always be easy if the illegal immigrant is cheaper. But if everyone is legal, then there will be no reason to favor one group over the other as the cost would change. Think what an impact this would have if the California Agricultural producers had to face this... wouldn't this be a radical and innovative utopia?<br /><br />If we legalize the illegals, we will eradicate slave labor, slave traders and level out the playing fields. Illegal smugglers could re-invent themselves and become legitimate staffing agencies (a notch better than slave trader)located in Mexico who - for the same money they charge now to smuggle someone, - could hire hoards of immigration lawyers to arrange to bring in Mexicans - legally (with a job offer, matching residence and work permits for those diligently assigned jobs). It works for legal Europeans, Asians, and everyone else world-wide, why not for Mexicans? <br /><br />I hope I gave everyone some more points to ponder.