Gina Rodriguez is bringing two immigration-focused series to television and her timing could not be better.
The “Jane the Virgin” star recently sold the series “Illegal” and “Have Mercy,” which will both focus on Latino immigrant stories, according to Deadline. The news comes just days after the Trump administration decided to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects young undocumented immigrants from deportation.
“Illegal” will be developed by The CW and is expected to be an hourlong dramedy that follows the life of a promising 16-year-old high school student whose world gets turned upside down when he finds out he, like his parents, is undocumented. The series will be written and co-executive produced by Rafael Agustín, whose real-life experiences serve as inspiration for the show.
Agustín shared the news on Facebook on Wednesday, telling followers to “get ready for the first undocumented family on TV!!!”
Rodriguez also shared her excitement over the news with fans Wednesday, tweeting, “Rafa is my hero. He is an exceptional artist and I can’t wait for Illegal (aka Rafa the Great) to air!”
“Have Mercy,” according to Variety, is a drama about a Latina doctor who is unable to practice medicine once she immigrates to Miami. The protagonist becomes a nurse’s assistant but jeopardizes everything when she opens a clinic in her apartment to serve her community.
Both series and an upcoming adaptation of 1991′s “LA Story” are being developed under the overall deal Rodriguez and her production company, I Can & I Will, signed with CBS TV studios in January.
“We will INCLUDE stories unheard and faces unseen,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “We will make it our top priority to put women in front of and behind the camera ... To my warriors, I am here because of you and we will make sure you feel represented and included in Hollywood. Period. The end.”
Rodriguez echoed the sentiment this week after news of her multiple projects began to circulate.
“For years this is all I wanted to do,” the actress tweeted. “Bring Latino stories to the screen to create love, tolerance and empathy.”
