Crossing the Line for a Chance at Legal Status
Some people will do anything for a green card.
Take Ariana De La Luz, who swallowed 38 grams of live tequila worms, or Diego Di Giovanni, who managed to trap a slippery pig drenched in butter, or Michael Couto, who jumped six times from one 18-wheeler traveling 60 mph to another in pursuit of six tiny green flags.
The contestants on "Gana la Verde" (Win the Green), an unscripted, Spanish-language show that airs nightly on KRCA-TV Channel 62 in Los Angeles, don't compete for a cash prize or even fame. Instead they jump through extraordinary hoops, eat disgusting "delicacies" and perform odd jobs, all in pursuit of the American dream.
The winner of this competition walks away with a set of immigration lawyers, who for one year work to expedite the residency process. No guarantee of "la verde," though.
"People say that our show is like 'Fear Factor,' but it's different because the climax of the show involves working," said production manager Adrian Vallarino, a Uruguayan native who moved to Los Angeles a year ago.
"That's the ultimate test, because we want to expose people to some of the realities of being in the workforce here. Many of our viewers are in precarious situations, and the company wanted to try to help them with their papers, to give something back to them."
The thought of becoming a legal resident propelled De La Luz, who begins her sociology and Chicano studies at UCLA next month, to dive underwater to retrieve 24 coins hidden in a treasure chest in less than two minutes. With a green card, she would be eligible for student financial aid.
But U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials warn that contestants should not get their hopes up.
"I don't think it's appropriate for me to comment on the premise of a television show except to say that they are holding out false hope to people," said Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for the agency. "You're getting people to submit to unpleasant things, holding out hope that you'll be able to change their legal status in this country, when some people are just not able to adjust their status because this is all dependent on laws. It sounds very much like exploitation."
KRCA, however, maintains that its show is not driven by the frivolous trappings of the unscripted genre, which offers plastic surgery, instant marriages or an opportunity to swap families. The station, owned by Houston-based independent Liberman Broadcasting, also offers Spanish-language local newscasts, talk shows and dating programs in its four markets: Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston and Dallas.
