Status Pending

By WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPRSociety & Culture Documentary

Status Pending episodes

March 18 Small Wisconsin towns on the Minnesota border have also seen an ICE surge
In February, the Trump administration announced the end of its immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities. But some ICE operations there continue, and the surge of ICE agents also spilled over into western Wisconsin.
12 min
March 11 A look into the conditions at an immigrant family detention center
ProPublica reporters have been looking into the living conditions inside the Dilley detention center in Texas, where immigrant families and children are held.
11 min
March 04 Making Wisconsin: The past and present of citizenship
Throughout U.S. and Wisconsin history, the idea of who gets to be a citizen has changed. At times, it’s been broad and welcoming. And other times, it’s been more restricted.
Read the full story at wuwm.com/makingwisconsin.

19 min
February 25 Making Wisconsin: Hmong refugees and the promise of something better
2025 marked the 50th anniversary of Hmong refugees resettling in the U.S., but what drove many out of Laos? And how have they made a home in Wisconsin, which is home to the third largest Hmong population in the country?
Read the full story at wuwm.com/makingwisconsin.

17 min
February 18 Making Wisconsin: How sanctuary movements have succeeded and failed
Throughout our local and national history, there have been waves of sanctuary movements stemming from religious organizations, activists and legislation. Sergio González, Marquette University assistant professor of history and author, explores sanctuary and how it shaped our history and politics today.

Read the full story at wuwm.com/makingwisconsin.
27 min
February 11 Making Wisconsin: A speedy review of 300 years of Milwaukee's immigration history
Waves of immigration to Milwaukee have made our home a multicultural and vibrant city. But it hasn't always been a warm welcome. Here's a rundown of immigration to Milwaukee and Wisconsin.

Read the full story at wuwm.com/makingwisconsin.
13 min
February 04 Coming soon: New episodes explore how immigrants shaped Wisconsin
Over the next four weeks, the Status Pending team is going to share a series we did last spring, called “Making Wisconsin.” It’s about how immigration has shaped our city, state and country. It provides some really helpful context for this moment. Stay tuned as WUWM continues to bring you conversations and stories about immigration.
2 min
January 28 'It feels like family': Milwaukee church helps settle African MPS teachers
Faith communities help newly-arrived international teachers and immigrant families find apartments, furnish their homes and navigate the health care system.
17 min
December 17, 2025 Life without a clear path to citizenship: An undocumented student’s story
How do you think about the future when you have no clear path to citizenship in the country you call home? Hear from a young undocumented woman who has lived in the U.S. since she was a child.
23 min
December 10, 2025 The green card pathways for immigrants who are victims of crime
If you or someone you know needs help, you can reach the National Domestic Violence hotline at 800-799-SAFE. When a crime is committed against someone without legal status in the U.S., it can open a pathway to a green card for the victim. But it comes at the cost of proving your abuse.
17 min

About Status Pending

From the publisher's feed

When it comes to immigration in the U.S., the news is constant and can be hard to process. Under President Trump, the rules and norms around immigration are rapidly changing.

On…