ABC is developing a comedy series about illegal immigrants called “Sanctuary Family.” The story follows a husband and wife who bicker over the chaos that is created when their illegal immigrant nanny and her family take up residence with the couple.
“The differences both families have aren’t as significant as their similarities,” the network said in a statement, Fox News reported.
The project is the latest in a series of shows that center around immigration.
This is the latest project about immigration to go into development at the broadcast networks in recent weeks. Gina Rodriguez has set up Latino-led series at CBS and The CW. At CBS, drama “Have Mercy” centers around a Latina doctor who is unable to practice when she immigrates to Miami. She begins work as a nurse’s assistant, but risks everything when she opens a makeshift clinic in her apartment to serve the community. At CW, dramedy “Illegal” follows a 16-year-old American high school student named Rafael who discovers he is in fact undocumented.
Meanwhile, Fox is developing “In the Country We Love,” based on the memoir of the same name by “Orange Is the New Black” star Diane Guerrero. That project was set up at CBS last year, with Guerrero attached to star as an attorney who begins defending undocumented immigrants for free, with Guerrero also attached as an executive producer. Finally, CBS is developing the comedy “Welcome to Maine,” which follows a ninth-generation Maine family and a recent immigrant and his daughter who must all learn to embrace change when they share the same workplace in a tiny rural town. Greg Garcia serves as executive producer on the project. (Variety)
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The leftward move by the network comes after executives canceled the conservative-friendly “Last Man Standing” show with Tim Allen, which was one of ABC’s best-rated shows, averaging 8.1 million viewers a week. Only ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Modern Family” surpassed the series in ratings.
The executives’ decision to green light “Sanctuary Family” also comes after President Trump announced he would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program with a six-month delay.
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