“The huge thing,” she said, is the recognition by the church of “the inviolable dignity even of guilty people who have done terrible crimes.”

As an agent provocateur, Cohen’s new show had an impact before it even aired.

One night in a small town in Mexico, armed men arrived at Maria's house. Pregnant and with her young daughter asleep in the next room, she wasn't sure if she should rush to get her 2-year-old or run for her life.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke about ongoing threats to religious freedom and what can be done to halt them at a conference held July 30 at the Department of Justice.

Catholic humanitarian organizations rushed to collect material help, bishops loudly denounced the separation policy, and groups such as Catholic Extension established a fund to shelter, feed and defend some of the separated immigrant families.