Immigration issues in new Roswell show

The new Roswell show is milking the timely “alien” metaphor by emphasizing the ICE related issues of the LatinX protagonist and her family, in Roswell New Mexico. While I am a big fan of sci-fi metaphors, I can’t help wonder how reality compares. Spoilers ahead.

Liz (the Latina) returns to Roswell after a lengthy absence and is stopped at a traffic checkpoint, where instead of a Driver’s license she shows a passport. She also complains that traffic stops in this area are increasingly a front for immigration crack downs.

Her father is attacked but doesn’t want to press charges because that will put him on the radar so to speak.

So all this implies, her family has at least questionable, if not outright undocumented status.

But! It’s not like they are getting off the books jobs and blending into the background. Her father has owned and operated a major eating establishment in the center of town for decades. Her and her sister grew up there and attended public school. She went to college and has a career as a scientist.

I’m just not sure how this all jibes together. Granted it is a fictional show, but it is clearly trying to shine a spotlight on real issues. What would the real situation look like?

As I understand it, this series is inspired by the book series. The original tv series chose to white wash the lead and downplay the alien/immigrant angle…so it could be said the show is going back to original intent of a 20 yearold (?) book series.
The idea that undocumented people HAVE to be part of the shadow economy is untrue.
Imagine her father has been here for decades and probably worked his way up to owning that restaurant. Who is going to ask for his “papers?”