Shocking Reveal: ‘Separated’ Uncovers America’s Dark Secret in New Eye-Opening Documentary!

The Trump administration’s approach to immigration by separating thousands of children from their parents was a stark and brutal method, indicative of a growing acceptance of overt harshness in our current political climate.

This shocking period in our history, which could potentially resurface if Trump secures another term in the upcoming election, is the subject of a new documentary by Academy Award-winning director Errol Morris, titled “Separated.” The film’s title is derived from a book written by NBC journalist Jacob Soboroff (who is prominently featured in the documentary) which delves into this divisive “zero-tolerance” policy, a reflection of the progressively worsening attitude towards immigration over recent years. This policy was only ended through executive order by Trump in the summer of 2018 following public outcry and legal intervention, and to this day, not all of the children affected have been reunited with their parents.

It’s not surprising that Morris has chosen to focus on this disgraceful chapter of American history. Throughout his extensive career, Morris has often investigated the more bizarre and hidden aspects of America, including the origins and impacts of governmental actions, as seen in his films “The Fog of War” and “Standard Operating Procedure.” Morris possesses a unique ability to present an issue from both an outside and inside perspective, allowing even the most contentious subjects — such as war and torture — to be intricately tied to the complex depths of the individuals involved, as they speak into his signature interview device, the Interrotron.

However, this makes “Separated” an unusual project for Morris, as the morality of the situation is clear-cut (as emphasized by several interviewees labeling family separation as “the worst thing I’ve ever seen”), and the controversial interviews that Morris is known for — such as his film dedicated to understanding Stephen K. Bannon — are absent. Notably missing are Stephen Miller, the presumed architect of the policy, and the much-maligned former Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, who endorsed the policy, as both declined to participate in the documentary. The only political appointee from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) that Morris was able to interview, Scott Lloyd, a Miller supporter, can barely disguise his evasion during his responses.

Despite these absences, the documentary provides an enlightening and captivating perspective from within the system, thanks to former ORR deputy director Jonathan White. A career social worker, White seems to be still haunted by the misuse of his office’s mission — to safeguard unaccompanied migrant children — for harmful purposes. He is visibly shaken as he expresses his regret for being unable to halt the policy.

White also powerfully uncovers the falsehood that the administration was merely enforcing America’s illegal entry laws by separating parents from their children, as would be the case with any citizen arrest. The true objective, according to White, was to intimidate families to deter others from attempting to cross the border. Journalists like Soboroff, who were invited by the administration to facilities teeming with traumatized children, many held in cages, were intended to convey this horrifying message globally. As Soboroff confesses to Morris, “I was a tool.”

The main shortcoming of Morris’ otherwise sharp and unsettling critique is an interwoven narrative involving actors, focusing on a Guatemalan mother and son attempting to enter the U.S. and becoming ensnared in the separation system. The cold detachment of these interludes — which fail to work as mini dramas or as accompanying visuals — reveal a rare misjudgment from a revered documentarian renowned for his innovative approach to nonfiction filmmaking.

It would have been preferable if “Separated” had allocated this space to the real-life stories of those affected by the policy or delved deeper into the historical context. Nevertheless, the overall accumulation of interviews and research, combined with Morris’ adeptness at synthesizing information, provides a potent condemnation.