For much of his tenure as Maricopa County Sheriff, Joe Arpaio has cultivated a brazen, no-nonsense image in front of the media spotlight. But under his tough-guy exterior, Arpaio is human, and even cries, said Dan DeVivo, a filmmaker who followed the sheriff currently up for reelection around with a video camera for nearly four years.
DeVivo, the director of “Crossing Arizona,” a critically acclaimed documentary about Arizona’s borderlands, and Valeria Fernàndez, a Phoenix-based journalist specializing in immigration coverage, co-directed the documentary “Two Americans,” which profiles Arpaio alongside 9-year-old Karen Figueroa, who went to the media after the sheriff arrested her Mexican parents at their carwash job in 2009.
“If they have to hide, I have to hide,” Figueroa said in a clip of the film, currently on-screen in Scottsdale through Thursday. “Why would a mean person work as a police?”
While Figueroa is American, speaking out against Arpaio put her entire family at risk, DeVivo said.
“It’s taken a lot of courage for people to come forward and speak out against the sheriff,” he said.
From his time spent with the Sheriff, DeVivo developed the impression that Arpaio believes adamantly in enforcing the law, no matter what it entails, and that he does so because it gets him re-elected.
“He knows what his constituents respond to, and he acts on it.” DeVivo said. “I don’t know if the sheriff really believes in locking up the parents of a 9-year-old child.”
Originally from New York and having Italian grandparents, DeVivo said Arpaio reminded him of his grandfather who had “old fashioned views about people and society.”
Through “Two Americans,” he and Fernàndez set out to examine two competing American mindsets that made immigration a heated, bipartisan political issue.
Fernàndez emigrated to the U.S. from Uruguay and knows what if feels like having an expired visa, trying to become a citizen and seeing friends and family deported. She has been a U.S citizen, living in Phoenix, for 13 years and has closely watched Arizona attitudes transform with federal policy changes throughout the years.
“This is a time of turmoil and a time of change, and it’s fascinating to me what is going to come out of this,” Fernàndez said.
It wasn’t until 2005 that Arpaio started taking interest in immigration law, and it wasn’t until 2008 that his unique enforcement approach really took off, she said. When his methods landed him allegations that he violated civil rights, people became polarized in their moral standpoints.
The documentary gives voice to those who felt Arpaio abused his power as well as those who have supported him throughout his career, Fernàndez said.
“Standing for the rule of law is one thing and being a humanitarian is the other,” she said. “There are two Americas going on, but in reality they are one in the same.”
“Two Americans is playing at 11:15 a.m., 1:40 p.m., 4:30 p.m,, 7:30 p.m., and 10 p.m. through Nov. 1 at Harkins Theaters Shea 14, 7534 E. Shea Blvd., in Scottsdale. For more information, visit evtnow.com/4j1 or www.twoamericans.com/
• Michelle is a senior studying print and multimedia journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Contact her at (480) 898-6514 or tribintern@evtrib.com
VofReason posted at 12:32 pm on Mon, Oct 29, 2012.
This is an interesting concept for a film. I think by the description here it seems to focus on the emotional impacts of a young illegal alien and contrasts it against someone hired to enforce law. Perhaps worth exploring is how her parents were able to get hired if they were clearly illegally here? Were they hired as known illegals, but paid the same wage that would have been paid to someone who was not illegal? Or how they were paid if they were clearly here illegally? Did they use someone else's identity to get paid legally through taxable payroll? Or were they paid cash? I know this part doesn't sell tickets or help the illegal immigration issue stay in an emothional areana, but worthy information
BajaRat posted at 12:49 pm on Mon, Oct 29, 2012.
More nauseating Mexican baby-waving and open-borders propaganda. Yuck. [censored]
samkat posted at 6:51 pm on Mon, Oct 29, 2012.
It won't be long before the anti Joe crowd will be on and ranting. :-)
Masterrogue666 posted at 10:32 pm on Mon, Oct 29, 2012.
First off, it's not "Immigration". It's "ILLEGAL" immigration. Be ACCURATE! Those that have LEGALLY immigration have no cause for concern!
Second, I remember reading about Valeria Fernàndez's parents. BOTH of them were using the SSN of US citizens! That's a FELONY! Guess what! They were allowed to stay! I guess the rights of US citizens aren't as important as CRIMINAL FOREIGN INVADING NATIONALS!
Masterrogue666 posted at 10:37 pm on Mon, Oct 29, 2012.
phxvato: Perhaps you should look up the word "libel". Please provide a link to help PROVE your statement. If you can't, then you should apologize.
Also, since I've asked you to do this SEVERAL TIMES, we both know you can't. You are the one who's hatred is so great, you actually commit a crime.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 6:36 am on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
MORE "ANCHOR BABY" PROPAGANDA FROM THE SOCIALIST WHO WOULD OPEN THE FLOOD-GATES TO EVERY MEXICAN, HONDURAN, EL SALVADORAN AND GUATAMALAN.
Folks, this is what....OBAMA....is trying to do. He wants to destroy the Anglo Society of America.
doc10250 posted at 6:57 am on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
I am anti Joe Samkat, but I refuse to rant. You focus so hard on one issue that all else escapes you. This guy is nothing more than a bully with a badge; You have apparently not taken the time, nor have any of you actually, to familiarize yourself with the entire MCSO, and it's problems. Read the book Slumber Party from Hell. Do you know or care what is going on in the MCSO jail system? Study the lawsuits, not involving racial matters, but in wrongful death, inadequate medical attention and prescription administration. Check out what is really fed to prisoners. And then watch this clown pose for another picture. He makes me sick. Old man joe has got to go. Period. Those who think otherwise are entitled to their beliefs, but they are part of the problem, not the solution. Have a blessed day.
Slabside posted at 10:04 am on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
doc10250, perhaps the prisoners should start obeying laws instead of breaking them if Joe's jails are too harsh.
Slabside posted at 10:28 am on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
What I find interesting is phxvato1202 is the only poster shieking about "Anglo", "Hispanic" "Racists" and "Latinos".
VofReason, Masterrogue666, samkat and Leon only mention illegal immigrants.
It is plain to see who the racist is.
doc10250 posted at 10:50 am on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
It is obvious to me Slabside, that many of us do not want to be burdened with the truth, simply want to be pseudo tough guys. Be so if you wish. I have the facts, the numbers, and the truth as to what this bully with a badge is all about. Do your own research, or sit on the sideline yelling Yeah, Joe, I don't care. there is nothing worse in my opinion than corrupt law enforcement. And we have it right here in MCSO. We will unfortunately get exactly what you are paying for if we retain this disgrace for a sheriff. I know what you would pay for bud. I want better for Maricopa County.
doc10250 posted at 10:53 am on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
Should read "We will unfortunately get exactly what WE are....." sorry bout that.
Mij14I posted at 11:48 am on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
Does Dan DeVivo expect some kind of Oscar for special achievement in a documentary? Did Michelle Peirano harbor thoughts of a Pulitzer Prize while putting her thoughts to words and her words on paper? Simply put, "Fat Chance on Both!"
Of course Arpaio believes adamantly about enforcing the law and that is what has got him re-elected. No, it doesn't take courage to stand up to Arpaio. If you are in the United States, Arizona thus Maricopa County illegally or if you an infant child of a parent or parents who entered this country illegally it is only foolish to stand up to Arpaio. You see breaking the law is breaking the law. Imagine if you will a person robs a bank or two. In both cases the bank robber does so in plain sight of a survailance camera. The bank robber is arrested and charged based on substantial smoking gun proof of his guilt. Is it courageous for that bank robber to criticize the police officer, sheriffs deputy, whatever and that officers supervisors for doing their job in enforcing the law.
Maybe if your a blatant liberal extremist as Michelle Peirano and Dan DeVino obviously are . . . yes such stupidity is courageous. To the rest of the reasonable and intelligent people it is what is what it is. It was nice to read such a comical story in the midst of campaign loaded with mudslinging and character assassination as this year. Don't know about others, I enjoyed a good from the gut laugh.
Masterrogue666 posted at 6:26 pm on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
Mij14l: I also got a laugh out of it too. I would have written as you have, but then my previous entry would've been too long IMHO.
Masterrogue666 posted at 8:19 pm on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
Oh, and one last thing. Why is she called a "Mexican-American"? Why not just "American" or citizen? Also, if you give her that title, then shouldn't Joe get the title of "Italian-American" (I think his ancestors are from Italy, but I could be wrong.)?
So, since the WRITER used a "heritage" term for Fernàndez, but NOT Arpaio, isn't THAT RACIST?
Masterrogue666 posted at 8:21 pm on Tue, Oct 30, 2012.
Verified. Joe is a FIRST GENERATION "Italian-American". Talk about BIAS!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Arpaio
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