Immigration ? both legal and illegal ? is definitely a hot-button issue in the United States these days, especially among presidential candidates.
Arin Bisaro, a 2012 Oxford High School graduate, is hoping his photographs will help people better understand this complex topic and consider other perspectives on it.
‘It’s just something really important that everyone needs to be talking about,? he said.
Bisaro was one of 14 photojournalism students at Central Michigan University selected to take part in a two-week documentary photojournalism workshop led by world-renowned photographer Danny Wilcox Frazier.
Entitled ‘FENCES: Faces of Migration,? the workshop’s intent is to take the debate surrounding immigration ‘beyond superficial sound bites? and ‘look closely at how immigration policy impacts individuals.?
‘The group project brings to light issues facing the newest Americans living across Michigan and personalizes their struggles in a country divided by politics and ideology by giving faces to the faceless,? according to the workshop’s website fencesfacesofmigration.com
Bisaro’s portion of the project was entitled ‘Migrants in Michigan? and it told the story of the Hispanic migrant workers who toil on the state’s farms and labor in the fields (see shaded box on Page 16).
Most of his nine photos were taken in Grand Rapids and showed various aspects of Hispanic life in the city. Images include a little neighborhood market, a colorful mural depicting the Virgin Mary and shelves lined with prayer candles. They can all be viewed on the workshop’s website.
‘People don’t realize these are really great people doing great things in their communities,? Bisaro said. ‘We just deem them (to be) bad people and that’s not the case.?
Bisaro, a senior at CMU, enjoyed ‘being able to meet these people and understand their stories as less of a burden for us and more of a struggle for them.?
‘I learned to be more open to the idea of immigration as a whole,? he said. ‘They’re not here to cause harm. They’re just here to provide for their families or find a decent job . . .They’re not looking to cause trouble or stay somewhere illegally. I think that’s really, really important that people realize that, and I don’t think a lot of people do.?
He also learned how important migrant workers are to Michigan because agriculture is such a vital component of the state’s economic engine.
Michigan farms, of which there are 52,194, and the commodities they produce contribute $13 billion annually, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).
Field crops have the greatest economic impact at $5.72 billion. Fruit and vegetable production contribute $758 million and $673 million, respectively, according to the MDARD.
Overall, MDARD reports Michigan’s food and agriculture industry amounts to $101.2 billion of the state’s economy and accounts for 22 percent of the state’s employment with 923,000 jobs.
‘If we didn’t have that influx of (migrant workers), we wouldn’t be as successful as we are,? Bisaro noted. ‘They’re actually stimulating the economy. Without them, we would be at a standstill. I think a lot of people don’t understand that.?

Migrants in Michigan
Every year, thousands of immigrants come into the United States in search of work. These individuals generally settle in rural areas as farm hands. Making a very low wage and working most days of the week, these individuals seek safety and money to support their families.
In most of these rural communities, however, the massive population flux is consistent with the changing of the seasons. In rural Michigan, some counties will see an increase of more than ten percent in Hispanic population during the summer months.
Towards the end of these harvest seasons, these massive populations of migrant workers disperse, either heading to the Southern states or back into Central America until the farm season returns. However, this is not always the case.
In some parts of Michigan, the population remains the same year-round and immigrants have made their homes in metropolitan areas, creating large multicultural zones that thrive as functioning communities and contribute to the future and well being of Michigan as a whole.
The cultural identity of the residents is apparent in the physical landscape of these communities, as they settle into a new life in Michigan. ? Arin Bisaro