2009

When you go back and look at the political cartoons from the year 2009 about illegal immigration, there are three main types of cartoons that can be found. The three types of cartoons that can be found are cartoons that aren't supportive of undocumented workers, those that are either supportive of undocumented workers or against the illegal immigration policy itself, and those that deal with the issue of undocumented workers in the courts.


The first type of cartoons, those that are against undocumented workers, can be summarized in the example below, titled "Illegal Immigration" by Dave Granlund of PoliticalCartoons.com.

This cartoon shows hundreds or even thousands of undocumented workers swarming the Statue of Liberty. As we all know, the Statue of Liberty is a giant symbol for the United States. Having undocumented workers taking over the Statue of Liberty is symbolic of them taking over the United States itself. This cartoon clearly shows the creator is against illegal immigration and undocumented workers.

The next type of cartoon that can be found is the type that is in favor of undocumented workers or against the United States' policy regarding illegal immigration. The cartoon below by Patrick Chappette entitled "Danger From Mexico," shows this side of the argument.

This cartoon above is trying to show how idiotic some of the policies and laws can be. The border patrol officer is having a heart attack because the Mexican on the other side of the fence sneezed when the sign says "No Sneezing." Having the "No Sneezing" sign leads the viewer to see how foolish the policy is. The border control might be trying to take too much control, and in the process they make up some foolish rules. 

Lastly, there are cartoons that deal with undocumented workers in the court system. The cartoon below by John Cole called "Ramirez Verdict" is a great example of how cartoonists can make an impression on readers. 

In 2009, the ruling on the State vs. Donchack and Piekarsky was handed down. Donchack and Piekarsky had allegedly beat Luis Ramirez to death. However, the teens were both acquitted by an all white jury, and the murder of Luis Ramirez went unpunished. The most important point of the case was that Ramirez was a Mexican immigrant. Was it an act of racism? The only two people who know for sure will never say, but this cartoon brings the issue to light. It shows Ramirez and Lady Justice both laying on hospital beds badly beaten. This gives the idea that Justice was assaulted just as much as Ramirez that day.