Running Head: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MUSIC VIDEO PROJECT

Rhetorical Analysis of Illegal Immigration Music Video Project

Elvira Medina
University of Texas at El Paso

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Illegal is illegal proclaim the authors of the YouTube video entitled, Illegal
Immigration Music Video Project (Gonzales, May, Meyers and Willis, 2012). The issue
of illegal immigration in the United States has been a major and sensitive subject of
debate for a very long time. It has caught the attention of the leaders of numerous
organizations and government agencies locally and nationally. The authors of the video
define illegal immigration as, the act in which a non-citizen has entered the United
States without government permission and, as a result, is a violation of US Nationality
Law (Gonzales et al., 2002). The number of illegal immigrants is a controversial key to
this issue. As the authors point out, millions of illegals cross the borders of United States;
most of them are Mexicans and other Latinos, and the remaining are from Asian and
European countries. The authors set out to inform and persuade their audience, by the
significant use of the rhetorical appeals ethos, pathos and logos which are all well
constructed and employed throughout the video.
The authors of this video target the legal citizens of the United States of America,
specifically those who have an interest in stopping the influx of illegal immigrants in the
country. The audience could also be the government officials and agencies that deal with
issues of immigration. The idea behind this video shows the authors purposes, which are
to inform and persuade the viewers, and encourage the viewers to take action. Since
immigration itself is a controversial issue, highlighting the term illegal immigrants,
presenting the statistics such as showing the actual number of illegal immigrants in the
US, and illustrating how immigration impacts the economy are all examples of the author
trying to inform and persuade.

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The authors of this video are trying to touch the hearts of a broad audience by
using pathos. The emotional appeal is powerful. While often stoic and matter-of-fact,
they employ empathy in a powerful way. For example, the photo of the illegal
immigrants who pay the coyotes, or human smugglers, is presented in such a way of
the authors to get the viewers to empathize, and even more, sympathize accordingly. The
image is stark, inhumane, and evocative of repulsive feelings. The authors uses of pathos
are shown in many additional ways. First, their choice of music is emotionally
captivating and sober. Since it is a music video project, they use dramatic music and
sound as a powerful motif throughout the video. Second, they convey their sincerity and
seriousness of the message by using dark colors and the sizes of the font. Even the speed
of the font is used effectively to underscore the emotional context (as words slowly move
and grow and then fade from the screen). Although there are numerous colors throughout
the video, the main background is in black. This use of color black seemed to stress the
gravity of the issue, as well as permanence, and righteousness of the message. In line
with this, the font is bold enough to easily catch the attention of the viewers. It is clear
and readable. Some lines such as, Be educated and DONATE are strongly pointed
out in accordance with the beat of the piano one strong press of the keynote. Third, the
language and messages in use are easy enough for viewers to understand. They are on
point and clear, as if to stress the simplicity of this complex issue. Lastly, the authors
asked, Who else are affected by illegal immigration? and then answered, We are
(Gonzales et. al., 2012). This makes the message personal and reminds the viewer that
they are in a group of affected people.

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With regard to the rhetorical appeal ethos, it coincides well with the pathos
employed. The credibility of the authors is affirmed by the use of numerous credible
sources and a lack of hyperbole, despite a strong bias. Considering that the music video is
a couple of years old, the statistics the authors give are factual and relevant to the topic.
For example, according to Gonzales et al., based on the number they gathered from the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the latest number of illegal immigrants in the
United States is 11.4 million (2012). The agencies and organizations they cite are easy to
find and from objective sources. They provided contact information for all the sources
used in the video. For example, a website for those who want to get involved is
mentioned. They said, DONATE to the American for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC) to
help promote legal immigration (Gonzales et al., 2012). Clearly, authors agenda is to
support only legal immigration. However, although they may seem rather biased, they use
supporting evidence to showcase their stance. For example, they cite that the cost of
imprisonment of illegal immigrant is $1.8 billion (Gonzales et al., 2012). They also use
the numbers of crimes committed by illegals, especially drug smugglers. The authors
only helped their credibility by coming off professional by using correct grammar, proper
use of punctuation, and citing sources that seemed to call for evidence. They use
contextual terms throughout and no derogatory words or ad hominem attacks in a way
that supported their authoritative position.
The authors use of rhetorical appeal, or logos, is clearly demonstrated as well.
The way the video is presented is very well organized. First, they define what illegal
immigration is. Then, they show statistics of where illegals came from, and the location
where most of them are in the United States. Next, they present how these people

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became illegal (i.e. jumping the fence or through human smuggling). Thereafter, they
stated the effects of illegal immigration in the country. For example, the authors claim,
Illegal aliens have also been proven to dramatically increase crime rates in the United
States (Gonzales, et al, 2012). Finally, they set a call of action based on their persuasive
arguments by using the words such as, Be educated, Get Involved, and DONATE.
The use of reputable government agencies such as the United States Border Control
(USBC.org), Center for Immigration Studies (cis.org), and Federal for American
Immigration and Reform (FAIR.org) show that the authors have done extensive research
to ensure that the data presented is factual and indisputable. To make it even more
credible, they encourage those who have opinions on the problem to contact one of the
California US senators through her website. The fact that the video does not attempt to
make a viewer commit to a position until the end illustrates a very logical method of
persuasion.
Immigration policy has repercussions on both the illegal immigrants as well as the
legal citizens. This music video showcases this quite effectively. The use of the rhetorical
appeals ethos, logos, and pathos strongly impact the audience perspective. While the
emotive elements of the video were clearly deliberate, it does not seem to take away from
the logical case being made. The pathos is powerful and moving. The music choice, the
color, and the fonts the authors employ reflect the emotional impact they seek. Whether
the video serves to inform and/or persuade its viewers, it clearly shows that the issue of
immigration impacts everyone. In asking the viewer, What can you do? the point is
well made; immigration policy is not an abstract topic but is very relevant to everyone.

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CITATION
Gonzales, May, Meyers and Willis (May, 2012). Illegal immigration music video project.
(Video file). Retrieve from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNL4JxlaeQg.

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