Vid: What Mexican Wrestling Tells Us About the Immigration Debate

“What Mexican Wrestling Tells Us About the Immigration
Debate,” produced by Paul Feine and Alex Manning. Original release
date was December 10, 2013 and original writeup is below.
Go here for links, resources, and downloadable versions of this
video.

The professional wrestlers squaring off in Watsonville,
California are unlike any you’d find on a World Wrestling
Entertainment (WWE) bill. In one corner, there’s “el Patron de la
Migra” – a border patrol agent – symbolizing America in all its
brash, trash-talking swagger. And in the other corner there’s
Anibal Jr., a masked Mexican luchador who is a hero to the Latino
community.

“It’s Batman and the Joker. It’s Superman and kryptonite. You
have the ultimate good vs. the ultimate bad. And, for the most
part, our shows are targeted to the Latino community, so the
luchadores are the good guys,” says promoter Gabriel Ramirez.

Ramirez founded Pro Wrestling
Revolution (PWR), which sponsors lucha libre events for
Latino audiences all over California, five years ago.

Even though the border patrol agents are cast as villains, an
odd thing happens after the match. “After the cameras are turned
off, the lights turned off, and the show’s over, you’d be surprised
at that small little line by the locker room of Latinos who want
the autographs of la Migra,” Ramirez says.

Approximately 4 minutes. Produced by Paul Feine and Alex
Manning.