Gina Rodriguez develops Dreamer dramedy in the midst of DACA furor

As the headlines are chock-full of about President Trump’s decision to end the DACA program protecting undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, “Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez is making her own headlines with news of her hourlong dramedy series “Illegal” for the CW network.

As first reported by Deadline.com, “Illegal” — produced by Chicago native Rodriguez — will focus on the family of a teen who is one of the estimated 800,000 “Dreamers” living undocumented in America. The proposed series is one of two projects Rodriguez and her I Can & I Will Productions have inked with CBS TV Studios. The other project, “Have Mercy,” is a medical drama for the CBS network that is based on the German program “Dr. Illegal.”

Rodriguez, who found fame and won a Golden Globe for “Jane the Virgin,” has long been a major supported of undocumented immigrants.

“Illegal” will be written and co-executive produced by “Jane the Virgin” writer Rafael Agustin, inspired by his own experiences as an Ecuador native who grew up in America. It was not until he was in high school that he learned he was undocumented — like his parents.