Early Tuesday morning, Selena Gomez took to Instagram to make an exciting announcement to her 157 million followers. Gomez, who is no stranger to producing, as she has been an executive producer of the controversial Netflix teen drama 13 Reasons Why since October 2015, is back with another project that is close to her heart. In collaboration with the powerhouse media streaming service, Netflix, Gomez is set to executive produce a six-episode docuseries entitled Living Undocumented. This series will chronicle the lives and experiences felt by eight undocumented families as they face potential deportation, serving as a harrowing look into the American immigration situation.
In her Instagram post, Gomez explains her interest in the docuseries and it’s subjects stating, “These are real people in your community, your neighbors, your friends – they are all part of the country we call home. I can’t wait for you guys to see this and hope it impacts you like it impacted me.” This docuseries explores a conversation that has been frequently discussed in our nation today.
Courtesy: ET Canada
Immigration in America has been a hot topic for decades and it has been made even hotter in the years following Donald Trump’s election into office. In his campaign for the presidency, Trump made the issue of immigration policy his focal point. Throughout his administration, he has set into motion several enforcement measures and application vetting requirements intended to decrease the number of migrant admissions. A prime example of this is the recent Supreme Court decision put forth at the start of this month which now prevents Mexican migrants from receiving asylum here within the United States. In addition to this, since the start of Trump’s term in January 2017, there has been an overall scaling back of protections previously issued to non-citizens as is evident in the reversal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. As the conversation takes center stage within our nation, Living Undocumented is set to arrive at an opportune time.
The objective of this docuseries is to humanize the issue. The unfiltered portrayal of the undocumented families and their accounts are intended to shed light on the lived experiences of those most affected by the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance protocol. In a comment provided by Variety, co-director and executive producer Aaron Saidman reaffirmed this objective stating that “Living Undocumented is designed to illuminate one of the most important issues of our time. But rather than discussing this issue with only statistics and policy debates, we wanted viewers to hear directly from the immigrants themselves, in their own words, with all the power and emotion that these stories reflect.”
Gomez, in a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter, further explained her desire to give a new and more positive connotation to the word “immigrant” which has been used rhetorically in the past to vilify and demean individuals looking to make a home in this country. She further shared that she hopes “the series can shed light on what it’s like to live in this country as an undocumented immigrant firsthand, from the courageous people who have chosen to share their stories.”
Mark your calendars for the debut of the docuseries on Oct. 2 but in the meantime check out the official trailer.
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