In the Shadows

Filmmaker Dan Glynn is willing to acknowledge that laws are being broken by the presence of illegal immigrants in America, and while the undocumented individuals in question here are presented as decent and honorable individuals, Glynn is also fair in offering the same level of respect to those who are seeking to enforce immigration laws. The central focus of In the Shadows is Jairo, a Mexican man who works on a U.S. dairy farm and sends his earnings home to his wife and two children. Jairo shares the details of his dangerous journey into the U.S., and talks about his tenuous existence—a clear and present danger that becomes painfully apparent when his cousin Julio (who is also in the U.S. illegally) is arrested for drunk driving and is deported. Also featured here is Rep. James Sensebrenner, author of legislation seeking to strengthen enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border, and members of the self-proclaimed "Minutemen" brigades that offer volunteer support for the Border Patrol's surveillance of areas where illegal immigrants have been known to enter the country. Although unlikely to sway opinions, the film takes an intelligent, personal look at both sides of a complicated issue that continues to bedevil Americans—all without grinding the customary ax. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)