SANCTUARY: Faith + Resistance
SANCTUARY: Faith and Resistance is the story of courageous refugees who risked everything, and people of faith who were posed with the question, ‘When you believe U.S. law is immoral and against your ethical core, what do you do?’ Their response…a national movement of faith-based resistance.
Synopsis
While ICE raids are playing out on a daily basis in the streets of our communities, violently attacking immigrants and allies alike, SANCTUARY: Faith + Resistance uncovers a bold chapter of American resistance that stood up to the U.S. government, at great risk to themselves, to support refugees fleeing horrific civil wars.
In July 1980, thirteen Salvadoran refugees—including three children—died in the Arizona desert, abandoned while fleeing civil war. This tragedy ignited one of the most remarkable acts of resistance and faith-based organizing in American history.
Through intimate interviews with movement leaders, refugees, and lay people who risked everything, combined with striking archival news footage and personal documentation, this visually powerful film reveals how the Southside Presbyterian Church’s 1982 declaration of Sanctuary sparked a nationwide uprising. Hundreds of faith communities joined the ‘new underground railroad’, defying federal law to provide safe passage to Central America refugees fleeing horrific violence. Three centers of Sanctuary movement work emerged in Southern Arizona, the Bay Area, and the Chicago area.
When the INS indicted sixteen Sanctuary workers in 1985, the dramatic trial captivated America. Though they lost in court, they won public opinion and exposed government violations, ultimately securing legal status for 250,000 people—the most significant immigration reform in fifty years.
This compelling documentary film is both a historical document and organizing tool—a blueprint for today's movement builders. By recalling how ordinary people built power through moral courage and strategic resistance, it offers essential lessons for confronting today's attacks on immigrant communities.
SANCTUARY: Faith and Resistance is the story of courageous refugees who risked everything, and people of faith who were posed with the question, ‘When you believe U.S. law is immoral and against your ethical core, what do you do?’ Their response…a national movement of faith-based resistance.
Production Status
Interviews and verite have commenced with key figures in the Sanctuary Movement in Tucson, including three members of the movement who were indicted in the Sanctuary Trials, and one refugee who was aided by the Sanctuary movement. Extensive b-roll of the U.S./Mexico Border has been filmed, as well as the beginning of archival research. A short video with some of this footage can be seen HERE.
Next steps
With adequate funding, the iNation Media team, directed by Theo Rigby, will go back into production and research in Tucson and the Bay Area. The iNation team will film interviews in San Francisco with refugees, organizers, allies, and lawyers that participated in the Sanctuary movement. As well as filming in the Tucson community, with leaders such as John Fife, Dora Rodriguez, Margo Cowan, and others involved in the Sanctuary movement on the U.S./Mexico border.
Production will also include a modern-day re-enactment of the declaration of Sanctuary by Southside Presbyterian Church on March 24th, 1982. Research at the Archives of the University of Arizona, Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, as well archival research with individuals involved in the sanctuary movement, and news organizations, will be key to telling the story with imagery from the 80’s.
After this production and research is finished, our team will edit a ‘sample reel’ to a length of 15-20 minutes, which will be used to fundraise for completion funds to continue any necessary pick-up shoots, as well complete the editing and finishing.
Budget
We are raising $60,000 to do two more production trips to Tucson and to film in the Bay Area, hire an archival researcher, and a full post-production crew to create a 15-20 minute sample reel, which will put the project in a strong position to raise finishing funds. This sample reel will be shared out to faith-based and immigrant rights organizations to be used in their organizing work as well. The total budget for the full film will be in the $250K-$300K range.
Links
We don’t have a trailer for SANCTUARY: Faith + Resistance yet, but you can see two short pieces, and a feature film, made by Theo Rigby, on the Sanctuary movement:
Short video on two members indicted in the Sanctuary Trials (Darlene Nicgorski and Phil Congor)
Short piece on the story of Rosa Robles Loreto and modern day Sanctuary at Southside Presbyterian
Si Pudiera Quedarme: A feature documentary by Theo Rigby on the contemporary Sanctuary movement which will air Nationally on PBS in 2026. Watch a trailer HERE.
Support SANCTUARY: Faith and Resistance
With federal funding for documentary films now gone, please help us make this project a reality with your support via Check or Online donation!
$500: Fund meals for the crew for 3 days
$1000: Pay for the Director and DP to fly round-trip from SF to Tucson
$5,000: Fund two production days in the Bay Area with the full crew
$10,000: Fund an entire production trip for the crew to film in Tucson!
$25,000: Fund Post-Production! Cover the editor, director, and full post crew to make the sample reel.
Donate by Check
Send a check with “Sanctuary film’ on the note to our 501c3 Fiscal Sponsor the San Francisco Interfaith Council at the address below and you will receive a letter back with proof of your donation for tax-purposes:
San Francisco Interfaith Council
P.O. Box 29055
San Francisco, CA 94129
Donate Online
Donate online to our 501c3 Fiscal Sponsor the San Francisco Interfaith Council at the link below and you will receive a letter back with proof of your donation for tax-purposes.
Choose ‘General Support’ and write an email to office@sfinterfaithcouncil.org delineating your support to Sanctuary: Faith and Resistance.
Reach out to Director Theo Rigby at theo@inationmedia.com with any questions regarding funding.