With The University of Pennsylvania Documentaries and the Law Project, Thinktank Legal Media produced a film in support of an immigration case that had exhausted all other legal options.
The Sugianto family fled their native Indonesia because of the widespread persecution inflicted upon their Chinese Christian ethnic group.
Their plan to establish permanent residency in the United States as asylum seekers was thrown off course due to a technicality in the paperwork that had been submitted on their behalf.
Settled in South Philadelphia and with two young daughters, one of whom wasborn there, the Sugiantos sought legal help.
Every petition filed on theor behalf was rejected as was every appeal. When their final appeal was rejected, they had reached the end of the road. A special bill brought to the floor of the Senate was their only hope and it was a slim one.
They had arrived at a moment where they faceda difficult choice: return to Indonesia leaving their daughters behind or go underground. If they took no action it would only be a mwtter of days until they were forcibly taken into detention and deported.
Without any traditional avenues left, the Sugiant's lawyer Judy Bernstein Baker of HIAS and Council Migration Services decided to try something new. She worked with Thinktank Legal Media and Penn Law to produce a film about the case. The film was sent to both Pennsylvania senators and to the local office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Upon viewing the film, Senator Bob Casey placed a call to ICE to inquire about the status of the family. ICE called the attorney who was the first to be involved with the case to find out if "the fim would be shown publicly." His answer was simply, "I don't know."
The Sugiantos are now living in Montreal. ICE's fear of "bad publicity" bought the family enough time to get their affairs in order and seek asylum in Canada. Everyone involved with the case agrees that the film was instrumental in adjusting the attitide of immigration officials. Steve Morley, one attorney on the case says that he only wished they'd had it at their disposal while there was still an opportunity for recourse through the courts.
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