About two million Guatemalans live in the US. But, half of those here lack legal status, and tens of thousands of Guatemalans are deported back to their country each year. Are the countries these migrants left prepared for an influx of returnees?

This episode, originally released in 2018, is part of the Making Contact Anniversary Capsule: celebrating 30 years of social justice journalism. The miniseries takes us from protests on the streets of Seattle to an Indiana family fighting for their daughter's gender affirming care. It explores a racial reckoning in the world of romance writers, and tells the story of border walls from Gaza to Arizona. These shows embody how Making Contact has been digging into the story beneath the story since 1994.

Featuring:

• Carlos Lopez, Casa del Migrante Guatemala
• Martin, Juan Sebastian, Rodolfo, and Hicer – Guatemalans who have migrated and been deported, or who have attempted to migrate to the US
• Lisbeth Gramajo, Anthropologist at Rafael Landivar University
• Willie Barreno, Chef and Founder of Cafe Red Kat
• Fredy Lopez, San Pedro Credit Cooperative
• Don Julio, Q'anjobal Maya Elder
• Don Sebastian Gaspar, Business Owner
• Father Mauro Verzeletti, Director Casa del Migrante Guatemala and El Salvador
• Father Dionisio, Pastor of San Pedro Catholic Church
• Marvin Otzcoy, Guatemalan Fraternity of Northern Nevada

Credits:

Reporting made possible by a grant from FIJ— the Fund for Investigative Journalism. Voice Overs by Miguel Estrada, Claude Marks, Jesús Hermosillo, Joel Ulloa, Max Ferrin, Glenn Ontiveros, Ruxandra Guidi, Jonathan Lawson, and Chris Stehlik.

Making Contact Team

• Host: Monica Lopez
• Episode Producer & Reporter: Maria Martin
• Executive Director: Jina Chung
• Engineer: Jeff Emtman
• Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonorain

Music:

• "Assobio", Z Trigueiros
• "Saez", Z Trigueiros
• "Phased", Z Trigueiros
• "Fater Lee", Black Ant (open)
• "Rise", Meydan (credits)

Learn More:

• Casa del Migrante – Guatemala
• La Cafe Red Kat
• La Cafe Red Kat II
• 'Nothing for us here': Deported Guatemalans plan to return to U.S.
• U.S. embassy cables warned against expelling 300,000 immigrants. Trump officials did it anyway.
• 'Claudia was a good girl. Why did they kill her?' From a Guatemalan village to death in Texas
• San Juan Ostuncalco llora a Claudia Patricia Gómez