In the CW’s Jane the Virgin episode titled “Chapter Twenty-Four,” Jane (Gina Rodriguez) discusses how her “abuela,” or grandmother, (Ivonne Coll) is in this country illegally. How timely, in this election cycle, CW!
Through the magic of flashbacks, Jane frets that her police officer boyfriend may have an ethical challenge with her disclosure of grandma’s legal status. They just happen to be in bed together when she decides to break this news. Is this a deal breaker for Michael (Bret Dier)? Nah. Jane assures him that grandma isn’t a real criminal so everything is a-ok with him.
Never mind that to most law-abiding people, a person in America without proper documentation is committing an illegal act right there. America is a nation of laws, right? Police officers take an oath to protect and defend, right? Or maybe it’s a sanctuary city?
After a scare with police coming to their home to look for stolen property reported by neighbors, Grandma decides she has lived with worry long enough. She tells Jane that her children and grandchildren had to live with the worry she passed on and she does not want her new great grandson, Jane’s baby Mateo, to live with the same worry. She said she is ready to do the paperwork for a green card. Which begs the question, why didn’t she do this before, to save the rest of her family the worry all this time and get right with the law?
The viewer can look on the bright side of this – Grandma finally decides she wants to do the right thing. Let’s hope all goes well for her and the storyline doesn’t develop into further politicization and a call for amnesty from this telenovela.
