Be Part of a Film + Outreach Project:
Be Part of a Film + Outreach Project Tracing the Origins of America's Immigration Enforcement Machine
Thirty years ago, one law helped shape the immigration enforcement system dominating today’s headlines.
Neighborhood raids.
Detention centers.
Courthouse arrests.
Family separation.
Asylum seekers are treated like criminals.
Longtime residents deported for decades-old offenses.
Most Americans have never heard the law’s name:
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA).
But its impact is everywhere.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Harsh Legacy is a documentary film uncovering the roots of today’s immigration system—and how decisions made decades ago continue to shape millions of lives.
The law introduced mandatory detention, expanded deportation powers, expedited removal, and strict limits on judicial review. What began as a little-understood legislative compromise became the foundation for the enforcement machinery we see today.
At a moment when many Americans feel deeply uneasy about what is happening—but lack the historical context to fully understand it—this film asks a simple question:
How did we get here?
Through interviews with former lawmakers, congressional staff, academics, government officials, advocates, and immigrants directly impacted by the law, Harsh Legacy connects political decisions to human consequences.
This is not just a film. It’s an effort to share history, create understanding and try to develop solutions.
Because meaningful efforts for immigration reform cannot happen without understanding the system we already have.
OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN
Timed to the law’s 30th anniversary, Harsh Legacy will launch alongside a nationwide public engagement campaign featuring:
- Community screenings
- University partnerships
- Educational resources and discussion guides*
- Public conversations and policy forums
Refugees International has already committed support for the development of educational and resource materials connected to the project. We are now raising funds to complete production of the film and support a broad national outreach effort.
Our goal is not simply to make a film.
It is to create space for deeper public understanding at a critical moment in American life and work toward change.
HOW YOU CAN BE PART OF THIS WORK
Filming is already underway, supported by early seed funding. Your contribution will help support:
Help Us Finish This Project
- Production and editing
- Archival research and footage
- Travel and interviews
- National screenings and audience engagement*
- Outreach and distribution efforts
Every contribution helps bring this story—and this conversation—to a wider audience.
If you believe Americans deserve a deeper understanding of how our immigration system evolved, and what needs to change, we hope you will join us.
Help us tell the story behind the headlines.
Recommended donation amounts:
- $25.00
- $50.00
- $100.00
- $250.00
- $500.00
- Other
Highlights
See all activity2About the Filmmakers
Harsh Legacy is led by Phyllis Coven and Yael Schacher, whose combined experience brings together decades of expertise in immigration policy, refugee protection, and historical research.
Phyllis Coven served in senior leadership roles in the U.S. government, including at the Department of Justice and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and has also worked with the International Organization for Migration and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Yael Schacher is an immigration historian and Director for the Americas and Europe at Refugees International, where her work focuses on asylum, migration policy, and the historical roots of immigration enforcement.
Together, they bring both insider knowledge and historical perspective to a project grounded in public understanding, accountability, and informed dialogue.
