The Films

By Christine Delp & Pilar Timpane 

Juana Luz Tobar Ortega came to the United States 24 years ago as an asylum seeker from Guatemala. For the last six years living in North Carolina, Juana has checked in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) annually and received a stay of deportation. But in April of 2017, she was told without warning that she had 30 days to leave the country or be deported. Non-criminal deportation cases like Juana’s have skyrocketed. Deportation is devastating, separating mothers, and breadwinners like Juana from the families and communities who need them. But deportation is not the only option. After over two decades in the United States, Juana refused to leave her 4 children and two 9-year-old granddaughters to return to Guatemala. Instead, in May, 2017, Juana entered sanctuary at an unfamiliar church. St. Barnabas Episcopal in Greensboro, North Carolina welcomed Juana, a complete stranger, into their church home.

By Daniel Quintanilla. Animation by Hanji Chang

A story of Abdi Ali, a 28 year-old permanent resident from Maine, who was detained by ICE in a Portland courthouse while meeting with his attorney about an OUI charge. The U.S. Government intends to deport Abdi back to Somalia, the same country his family fled as refugees when he was only a child.

By Almudena Toral, Lorena Arroyo & Cindy Karp

Adayanci Pérez is one of more than 2,500 children that were separated from their families at the border by the U.S. government as part of the Zero Tolerance policy. This 6-year-old Guatemalan girl was away from her family for three and a half months. Before going back, she was diagnosed with PTSD. She was not the same when she returned. There are still 400 children that haven’t been reunited with their families.

By Konrad Aderer

#Journey2Justice from border to border to raise awareness of these emerging movement leaders who are not dreaming of DACA. Their six-week trek is a campaign relentlessly focused on #Citizenship4All, a path to citizenship for all 11 million out-of-status immigrants. This campaign is led by NAKASEC, National Korean American Service & Education Consortium, and their affiliates.

By Monica Medellin, Shauna Siggelkow, Yosimar Reyes, & Define American

UndocuJoy combats victimizing representations of people who are undocumented, by showcasing authentic moments of joy.