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Esteban Ramirez

Professor Mary Grover

COL WRIT R1A

4 December 2019

The Reality of Current Immigration Through Images and Their Interpretive Value.

The relationship between news images and immigration proves to have a substantial yet

controversial basis. News images and their prevalence originate from photographs and typically

provide social issues with genuine visual of life experiences. Susan Sontag describes the

significance of news photography and states, “A photograph is not only an image (as a painting

is an image), an interpretation of the real; it is also a trace, something directly directly stenciled

off the real, like a footprint or a death mask.” (57) Sontag’s interpretation of news photographs

provides the audience with the original intentions of the use of news images. The expression of

purpose behind news photography distributed across informative media outlets emphasizes the

importance news photographs have when trying to express a specific reality. Seeing as images

over immigration stem from the realities of immigrants and their lives, the calamity and beliefs

generated around immigrant life can be evaluated providing an authentic depiction. As seen

through Leo R. Chavez’s work, “​Covering Immigration,” ​the author discusses the significance

varying news photographs and magazine covers can have within the portrayal of immigration.

Chavez examines immigration’s increase in the U.S discussing the media’s need to publish

works, using specific visuals such as magazine covers and photographs, to draw viewers

allowing raw interpretation of what is happening to the country in relation with immigration’s

presence. Bias is evident within the covers and explained by Chavez leaving many in a sea of
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confusion when it comes to interpreting the reality behind immigration and immigrant life.

Multiple images will be reviewed and evaluated using Chavez’s observable principles to identify

a sense of reality behind immigation in the U.S today. Through the dissection of selected images

a sympathetic and considerate perspective over immigration is generated demonstrating the

significance images have in the ability to portray the reality of life.

The image above illustrates the chaos of the Honduran caravan that happened November

25th, 2018 depicting the struggles of immigrants attempting to enter the United States at the

time. Maria Meza is captured struggling to escape the harm of the tear gas clutching onto her

children. One child runs barfoot while the other waddles with difficulty created by the saggy

diaper, all seen while being led by an alarmed mother wearing a childrens “Frozen” T-shirt. The

visual characteristics and the context of this photograph pair well with Chavez’s principle of the

media’s use of the mother and child presence deriving a sympathetic reaction from viewers. As
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expressed within chapter 4, the section titled “WOMEN-CHILD IMAGE,” says, “By alluding to

the mother-child dyad, these images arouse empathy through recognition of a shared humanity.”

Chavez tackles the superficial value of the implementation of photos using the specified

mother-child dyad, however dives deeper into the significance by discussing engraved

patriarchal influence found in images involving the dyad fueling the emotional impact images

like these have on viewers. Chavez recognizes the significance of the patriarchal ideology

embedded in the minds of viewers using observable characteristics creating sympathy towards

images where the mother-child is present. Chavez furthers the establishment of the connection in

stating, “Images of helplessness and dependency, however, are gendered touchstones in a society

still characterized as patriarchal.” only stressing the principle further by expressing, “Mothers

and children are generally not considered “dangerous”; they are innocents in a world of danger.”

(73) the women-child dynamic within this photo allures the audience based on the humanistic

patriarchally engraved inclination, steering immigrations presence within the U.S to be

refocused. Immigrants within modern day context will be subjected to the popular belief of being

a socioeconomic problem. However, through the publication and use of images such as Maria

Meza and her children trying to escape tear gas poisoning, will hopefully reform U.S popular

belief. Through the publication of images like the one of Maria Meza, a struggling mother trying

to evade being tear gassed, will lead americans who are against immigration from viewing

immigrants as economic threats, but as human beings seeking the opportunity of a new life

redefining the reality of immigration.

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This image depicts members of the national guard forcefully preventing a group of

Central American immigrants from crossing the Rio Grande. The guards were dispatched by the

legislative agreement made between Mexico and the United States attempting to minimize illegal

immigration. Within chapter 8, Chavez uses the 1977, April 25th cover titled “crisis,” and states

that most news covers depend on the use of the relationship between immigrants and the

immigration process in relation to militaristic government regulation. The covers impact is

dependent on the significance of the chosen photograph allowing interpretation of viewers to

occur. Seeing the chosen image above, the ratio of guard and immigrant seems to demonstrate

this need to defend against immigrants and immigrantion all together. Connecting this back to

Chavez’s principle, the author goes as far as asserting, “Taken altogether, the image sends a

message of a border under surveillance and hints at what would become a common way of

describing the border--as militarized-- in the discourse under study (Andreas 1998).” (219)

linking this back to the chosen image of the national guards holding of the immigrants from
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crossing the Rio Grande, visual qualities similar to the “crisis” cover of 1977 are used to

exaggerate this militaristic perspective over the growth in illegal immigration. The sporadic

movement of the immigrants, the removal of expression from the guard due to the presence of

the blackout sunglasses, and the accessibility the guards have to exceptionally large gun just

summarizes the militaristic defense against immigration revealing the severity of what images

revealing a truth behind what images can convey over sensitive topics such as immigration.

A group of immigrants is shown above cowering, staring in mixture of resignation, alarm,

and confusion towards the U.S border patrol officer. The emphasis on focus the border patrol

agent is given compared to the group of immigrants initially provides the sense that in the

context of immigration’s flux within the U.S, necessary measures have been taken to minimize

the effects of increased immigration. However, even though the border patrols presence within

the image is a focal point, the size of the group indirectly matches the border patrol officers

presence. Chavez within chapter 7 examines the truth behind government, border control, and as

expressed in the section, “THE U.S-MEXICO BORDER AS A “WAR-ZONE,” states, “Is the

reader really duped by their “in-charge” appearance? Is the invasion and loss of the very border

the officers are standing on so insidious that we the readers, do not even notice it? Is it possible
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to have lost control and be so in control at the same time?” (221) What Chavez states within this

section hones into what control really means for the U.S over an increase of immigration. The

border patrol officer is believed to be in control and hindering the immigrant group from moving

further towards their unseeable destination, the abundance of migrant members seems to

outweigh the authority of the officer rendering believed control unconvincing. The country

implements measures such as border patrol to minimize the occurrence, however proves to be a

failed attempt to compensate for a larger problem that’s more than just an absurd amount of

immigrants entering the country illegally. Although measures are taken by the government in

hopes to minimize the effects of immigration the reality behind immigrant presence is inevitable.

The image along with the principle discussed by Chavez uncovers the reality that there are

certain individuals who desire to keep out immigrants while immigrants and families are just

seeking an opportunity for a new life.

Immigration along with the ability of photographs to depict reality is significant allowing

the immigrations reality to be visually captured. Specific photographs focusing in on captured

experiences of immigration play a crucial role in allowing viewers to develop and dive into the

truth behind the influx of immigrants in America. Through Chavez’s analysis of magazine covers

revolved around the portrayal and presence of immigration within a modern context, key

characteristics found in covers can generate principles used repeatedly throughout covers. These

characteristics become principles due to the fact that a majority of influential images depicting

possible interpretations of immigration rely on the use. Sympathy and consideration are pivotal

emotions seen in images solidified through redundancy found in photographs. Through the
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consistent use of the specified principles as expressed by Chavez, they can be applied to current

images demonstrating reality of immigration steering from popular belief.

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Works Cited

Chavez, Leo Ralph. ​Covering Immigration: Popular Images and the Politics of the Nation​.

University of California Press, 2001.

Image 1:

Martinez, Herika. ​Mother attempting to escape tear gassing, clutching onto helpless twin

daughters. ​21 June 2019, Getty Images, Seattle.

https://theconversation.com/remembering-the-caravan-5-essential-reads-that-show-the-desperati

on-of-central-american-migrants-108860

Image 2:

Hoon, Kimkyung. ​Pair of mother denied of hopes of entering country by the reinforcement of

national guards. November 2018, Reauters, London.

https://www.npr.org/2019/07/13/740009105/how-mexico-beefs-up-immigration-enforcement-to-

meet-trumps-terms

Image 3: ​https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48375144