In “Torn Apart: Separated at the Border,” director Ellen Goosenberg Kent tells the story of two mothers who were taken from their children as a result of the U.S.’s immigration policy. The trailer for the HBO doc reminds us that, like protagonists María and Vilma, nearly 3,000 other families seeking asylum in the States were ripped apart.

“When I got to immigration, I thought it was all over,” María recalls of her journey from Central America to the U.S. “I thought my suffering would end.” But it didn’t: her son was taken away from her. Meanwhile, Vilma was separated from her daughter. “I’m sad because my mommy isn’t with me,” the young girl says in the spot.

Despite all they’ve endured, the women are determined to reunite with their children and build a new life for themselves. “My dream is to see my son succeed here,” María explains. “That compensates for all the pain and sadness.”

As Goosenberg Kent told The Guardian, she was compelled to make “Torn Apart” because family separation is “a defining story of our time.” The director added that, last summer, when the public found out about the policy, “It also felt to me that it was going to turn out to be one of the darkest chapters in this country’s immigration history, and that it had to be told.”

Goosenberg Kent won an Oscar with Dana Heinz Perry for their short doc “Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1.” “Risky Drinking” and “One Nation Under Dog” are among her other credits.

“Torn Apart” premieres on HBO tonight, October 10, at 9 p.m. EST.