There are many, many, many problems with Donald Trump’s approach to Mexico and immigration, and in particular with his proposal to build a massive wall on the southern border. One of those many, many problems is that it assumes there’s a bright and obvious distinction between American and Mexican, and you’re either one or the other and never both.
This short documentary from The Guardian helps expose that assumption as patently untrue. The 15min film follows some Liga MX players with strong ties to the US. Some are American citizens who moved south because of greater opportunities to ply their trade. One of these players, USMNT defender Omar Gonzalez, talks about how hard it was to leave the LA Galaxy but that he’s since settled into his new life. Quite a few players made a point that politicians and immigration hardliners either don’t or won’t see— that life on or near the border, or for those with close ties on both sides of it, transcends arbitrary lines on a map or physical walls.
The documentary is definitely worth your time. It may not convince a lot of people, and it most certainly won’t convince Trump. But it’s important to see the actual human beings affected by the government’s new immigration policy and practice— particularly as it relates to the sport we all love.