ABOUT THE FILM

“Las Madres de Berks” documentary shares the testimonials of four mothers that were detained for two years with their children at The Berks County Residential Center, a family prison in Pennsylvania. Berks is the oldest of the three permanent family prisons for immigrant families in the country. Despite being held up as a “model” by proponents of immigrant detention, the center has amassed a record of human rights violations.

Award-winning visual artist, Michelle Angela Ortiz created the “Las Madres de Berks” Documentary, as part of her "Familias Separadas" public art project which amplifies the stories of families affected by detention and deportation in the United States. Ortiz’s main community partner, the Shut Down Berks Coalition has been fighting to close down the Berks prison for years.

The Berks County Immigrant Prison (BCRC) was previously one of three detention centers for immigrant families, where children as young as two-weeks-old have been incarcerated. Since January 2022, ICE and the Biden administration have been incarcerating immigrant women as young as 18 years old. After eight years of organizing efforts, the Berks family prison has finally shut down permanently as of January 31, 2023.