Edward, now 28, hasn’t seen his family since he crossed the US-Mexico border on foot 10 years ago. Trapped in the US by a maddening waiting game for citizenship, he grapples with the idea of leaving the life he built in New York behind forever in exchange for a long overdue homecoming. Will Edward reunite with his family or continue on in his self-imposed purgatory?

Director’s Vision for ‘Limbo’

I met Edward through my girlfriend, Claudia, and soon came to know him as one of the most selfless and kind souls I’ve ever met. It wasn’t until a couple of years later that Edward confessed that he was an undocumented immigrant. I immediately thought there must be a story there, but I wasn’t sure he would want to share it. Yet, over time Edward began to open up about his past, and I noticed his story wasn’t like most immigrant stories I had heard before. His situation was a bit more complicated.

Edward attempted to cross the border just before he turned 18 but was sent back by border patrol. Shortly after his 18th birthday, he crossed the border again and arrived in New York City after a painstaking journey. He finally made it, but with one massive caveat: he is excluded from DACA. Little did he know at the time, this would preclude him from any right to citizenship now and forever. When he told me he was stuck here, I had many questions. Why did he do it? Did he regret it now? From our conversations, I knew there was a burning in his heart to tell his story, so I asked him for a recorded interview. He agreed.

Edward’s story will spark a debate, but that’s the point. His story will add context and humanity to the issue of immigration in the US.