FILM: "Libre": Freedom in Shackles

Originally posted by Field of Vision on March 14, 2019

"For detained immigrants who can’t pay their bond, for-profit companies like Libre by Nexus offer a path to reunite with their families. But for many, the reality is much more complicated. 'Libre,' a 12-minute film by Anna Barsan, sheds light on one of many hidden costs of reunification for immigrant families."

One young man featured in the film wore one of Libre by Nexus' ankle monitors for almost two years, despite having been granted a visa. He paid them $420 a month. None of the money went to pay his $15,000 bail fee. "I imagined the U.S. like you see in the movies," he says. "I never thought I would come here and suffer like this, because of this shackle."

The film notes that Libre by Nexus is currently under investigation by the states of Virginia, New York and Washington, is a subject of a federal probe by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and a class action lawsuit alleging fraudulent and unfair business practices.

https://fieldofvision.org/libre

"Libre" was produced by Field of Vision, a filmmaker-driven documentary unit that commissions and creates original short-form nonfiction films about developing and ongoing stories around the globe. They produce cinematic work that tells the stories of our world from new perspectives. To learn more, click here.