Hispanic Undercover Informants Put Their Lives at Risk for Immigration Status

USA - English

• Latin America - español

MIAMI, Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- It is the winning formula of many of Hollywood's motion pictures, the undercover agent, who risks it all to bring criminals to justice.  These protagonists operate in secrecy, associating with dangerous elements in an effort to dismantle major criminal networks. 

Informantes (Informants), an upcoming original production by Discovery en Espanol, premiering Sunday, December 12 at 9 PM E/P, delves into the real-life cases of Hispanic men and women who expose themselves to the dangers of this undercover world.

Secret informants have been a central component in the investigation and capture of many notorious criminals in the U.S.  Nonetheless, in recent years it has become more common place to enlist Hispanics for this purpose.  This ground breaking original gives a voice to these informants who gamble it all to obtain favorable immigration status in the U.S.  Today, some of these same individuals claim that promises have not been honored, and in some cases are even facing deportation.

Through vivid testimonials and dramatizations, the documentary exposes the controversial stories of individuals who are living through this reality. The documentary also includes the opinions of government officials, immigration and DEA agents, lawyers and legislators to provide a balanced perspective to this growing practice and the issues that surround it.  Some of the leading cases that are featured include those of brother and sister Emilio and Analia Maya, Carla Deras and Ernesto Gamboa. 

• Emilio and Analia Maya are siblings who agreed to work as informants in order to formalize their immigration status, embedding themselves inside the dangerous world of human traffickers. After two years of service, they were detained and are currently facing possible deportation.  
• Carla Deras is facing a similar scenario. The work undertaken by this Salvadorian native allowed the dismantling of an important child trafficking ring. According to her declarations, she was to receive a visa in lieu of her services, one that never arrived.
• One of the best known cases is that of Ernesto Gamboa, who worked with numerous government agencies. His involvement was central to the arrest of more than 90 individuals. After 14 years of service, he was sent to a detention center.

Informantes is an original production by Discovery en Espanol under the direction of Michela Giorelli, as executive producer and Irune Ariztoy, supervising producer, with the assistance of Pacha Films, under the direction of Guillermo Galdos and Luis del Valle

For Discovery en Espanol programming information, interactive games and more, viewers may log onto discoveryenespanol.com.    

About Discovery en Espanol

Discovery en Espanol is the Spanish-language voice of Discovery. It is the premiere network dedicated to offering the finest in quality programming in the areas of science and technology, world culture and history, nature and wildlife as well as real-life drama. The network creates an indelibly enriching experience by collecting the best of what Discovery's networks have to offer in combination with its own original Spanish-language content. Created by the world's most trusted media brand, Discovery en Espanol translates not just the words, but the feeling of Discovery, educating and engaging audiences nationwide with fascinating glimpses into the incredible world they inhabit. For more information, visit discoveryenespanol.com.    

SOURCE Discovery en Espanol