The family drama centers on a recent, real immigration case that brought attention to the plight of undocumented families.
By Julio Martinez
After many years of playing mainly fictitious characters in TV and films, Scrubs and Devious Maids star Judy Reyes is glad about taking on the role of a real person in a new Lifetime project. She co-stars in Torn From Her Arms, a movie depicting the harrowing true story of an immigrant mother and her daughter who must find their way back to each other after being detained and separated by immigration authorities in the U.S. The movie debuts Oct. 30.
Torn From Her Arms follows Cindy Madrid (Fátima Molina) and her six-year-old daughter Ximena (Camila Nuñez), who fled violence in El Salvador for safety in America, only to be torn apart upon crossing into the U.S. under the Trump Administration’s Zero Tolerance Policy against undocumented immigrants. Detained in different states, mother and daughter endured inhumane living conditions, inadequate medical care and the emotional toll of being apart.
The case of Madrid and Ximena made headlines worldwide and shook America to its core in 2018. Tragedy and danger marked their long journey. Madrid’s boyfriend was reportedly killed in their home country as they were coming north and her daughter was almost snatched from her, too.
In the film, Reyes plays Thelma Garcia, a Texas immigration lawyer who works tirelessly to reunite the mother-daughter duo after their forced separation in the Lone Star state.
“Of course, I had heard of the stories of parents being separated at the border and the reports of the mistreatment of children,” says Reyes in an interview promoting the film. “I was excited to be cast as a real-life person who accomplished so much against overwhelming odds.”
A production of Ozy Media and Motion Picture Corporation of America, Torn From Her Arms is directed by Mexican filmmaker Alan Jonsson Gavica, whose feature credits include the award-winning films Morenita, el Escandalo and La Carga. The script was by screenwriters Tawnya Bhattacharya and Ali Laventhol, who have worked together on TV series like Ginny & Georgia and Perception.
Reyes immersed herself in immigration law and also got to know the attorney she plays in the movie to get more insights into her prominent immigration case. “After I got the script, I started studying the Zero (Tolerance) Policy which began in 2018,” reveals the actress. “Then I met with Thelma Garcia, the lawyer whom I portray, and got more specific details about the procedures involved in reuniting this mother and (her) daughter. I realized that being able to portray a person who was such a vital part of this story was a true gift to me.”
From the attorney, Reyes says she learned that practicing immigration law is tough because losses often outweigh victories. “However, when you get that win, you know you have changed that person’s life forever,” she states.
The actress was also impressed by the lawyer’s devotion to immigrants. “I was delighted to meet Thelma and spend time with her,” she says. “That was really mind-blowing. She is in her 70s and she is still an active advocate for immigration.” Reyes adds, “It often gets complicated but she knows in her heart and soul it is the right thing to do. This matter-of-factness is what makes Thelma Garcia a true hero.”
Another hero portrayed in the film is ProPublica journalist Ginger Thompson, who broke the story of Madrid and her child. The Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter is played by Gloria Reuben, star of ER and Mr. Robot.
In time for film’s debut Lifetime, the cable TV network partnered up with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), a nongovernmental organization devoted to the protection of unaccompanied and separated children, to produce a public service announcement featuring the cast from Torn from Her Arms. Lifetime is also donating $10,000 to KIND to help in their efforts to raise awareness to the ongoing issue of family separation at the border. The video features Judy Reyes, Fatima Molina and Vicky Araico and will air on Lifetime following the movie’s premiere and will run on both the network and KIND’s social and digital platforms.
Featured Photo: Judy Reyes in ‘Torn From Her Arms’ (Credit: Lifetime)
