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Over the last six months, scripted TV has had its share of heartbreaking stories about undocumented immigrants.
Other documentaries have certainly tackled aspects of this complex issue from a personal standpoint.
As expected, many immigrants declined out of fear of jeopardizing their legal situations.
The families hail from Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, Laos, Israel, and Mauritania.
Most people dont realize that they know someone whos undocumented, she added.
They were allowed to identify themselves in whatever way made them most comfortable.
Each of the families that agreed to participate did so of their own volition and their bravery.
But that was not the most nerve-racking part of their story.
The journey involved riding a online grid of freight trains known asthe Death Trainor the Beast to traverse Mexico.
A project like this is never going to leave you.
You cant have people bare their secrets, and expect that doesnt leave a mark on you.
Those marks werent just emotional for immigration lawyer Andrea Martinez.
I was inches away from them and it was so shocking and confusing, Chai said.
But another update from a San Diego family highlights the gravity of the issues at hand.
His wife and two sons are living separately for their safety.
That in and of itself was a sad and emotional experience, Saidman said.
These are living, breathing human beings whose situations are incredibly fluid.
Even though were making a TV show, the stakes couldnt be higher for the participants.
