CNA producer Jonathan Chia explained the challenges of making the documentary series ‘Walk The Line’ and the importance of protecting sources during an investigative journalism showcase at the 2024 Global News Forum.

The documentary is about Chinese migrants seeking to enter the United States illegally via Ecuador – the closest Latin America country to the US offering visa-free entry for Chinese nationals at that time.

“While many documentaries have covered this illegal migration journey to the US, we wanted Walk The Line to be different for its unique scale, its deep access and its personal and human portrayal of the Chinese migrants,” said Jonathan.

He revealed the idea for the documentary originated when CNA correspondent Wei Du noticed videos on social media showing Chinese nationals trekking through the dense jungle of the Darien Gap, between Colombia and Panama. The videos had a Mandarin hashtag that translated to ‘Walk The Line’.

Research, planning & training

The team spent countless hours scouring social media feeds, using their language skills and knowledge of China to discover support groups and guides on platforms including YouTube, Douyin and Telegram. With this information, they mapped out a route from Ecuador using buses, domestic flights and including the Darien Gap.

The research and planning included building a network of reliable sources (Médecins Sans Frontières in Colombia, UNHCR in Panama, and the UN migration agency IOM), and hiring a security team to provide hostile environment training, establish a security protocol and escort them through Latin America, including areas controlled by drug cartels and gangs. Local security advisers and fixers would also provide vital advice on avoiding dangers.

Building a rapport & protecting sources

In Ecuador, the film crew checked into a guesthouse and offered the migrants snacks from Singapore, including Chinese barbecued pork called Bak wa. “It didn’t take long for us to earn the trust of four individuals who agreed to be featured,” said Jonathan. “We realised that these Chinese migrants who had made the biggest decisions of their lives had been isolated on this journey, keeping everything a secret even before they left China without anyone to confide in. So, the combination of their isolation, plus finally meeting someone not in a position to exploit them, and interested in their stories, they just opened up and their stories poured out. With the help of these initial participants, more migrants gradually came forward to share their stories.”

He added: “Our research and reporting revealed several key insights for the documentary series. We heard directly from the migrants about their motivations for making the dangerous trip, which ranged from a lack of freedom of speech, religious persecution, but mostly economic reasons. We heard many accounts of how businesses never fully recovered from the zero COVID policy back home.”

“Keeping our sources safe and anonymous was a top priority for a show like this. We use strict masking protocols for those who didn’t want their identities revealed.”

‘Raw and unfiltered’

Another element was documenting the reaction of migrants when they realised the journey was much harder than they had expected and there was mortal danger. “A few of them almost lost their lives,” said Jonathan.

The team filmed “raw and unfiltered” footage of the migrants’ journey, including extortion by government officials and smuggling gangs in Mexico. They also spoke with US residents living along the border with Mexico, who highlighted the social and political tensions caused by the influx of migrants.

Jonathan said the team followed the highest ethical standards throughout our reporting. This meant getting informed consent from interviewees, being clear about intentions and avoiding anything that could compromise the integrity of the documentary. “We made it clear to the migrants from the start that we couldn’t offer any material assistance to them, due to legal and ethical reasons. This included not giving them a ride in our vehicle, not lending them any money and not exchanging any currencies with them,” he said.

“By presenting a nuanced and empathetic portrayal of Chinese migrants, we believe the documentary can encourage viewers to rethink their preconceived notions and promote a more compassionate public discussion on this issue.”

‘Walk The Line’ is available on YouTube. Since July, Ecuador has suspended visa-free entry for Chinese citizens, the United States has deported a group of Chinese migrants who entered the country illegally and the US and Panama have signed an agreement to stop illegal immigrants trekking through the Darien Gap.