For our final episode of Season 8, we are thrilled to welcome Jason De Leon, anthropologist, researcher and professor at UCLA, and award-winning author. Jason’s recent book, “Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling” won the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction. Jason talks about how conversations with migrants at archaeological digs in central Mexico led to his interest in immigration. He shares stories of people that have stuck with him over the years, including a young man from Ecuador who went missing in the desert along the US-Mexico border. He describes the history of “prevention through deterrence,” a US border policy that weaponizes the desert to inflict harm on migrants in order to try to deter entry. Jason shares how his latest book, “Soldiers and Kings,” came about by just being present to smugglers in Mexico and listening to them as they shared their stories. 

Brian and Joe also share stories of being present to people in moments of need. Joe shares the story of Joana, who was stuck in the shelter after legal entry to the US was shut off to vulnerable migrants. As she walked off from the Mass in tears one day, Joe shares the frustration of being unable to help, but the gift that comes from just being present and holding someone as they cry. Brian shares the story of Laura, a young woman from Honduras who has been separated from her mom who has been living in the US for over twenty years. Unable to legally enter, Laura continues to live at the local shelter in northern Mexico, and loves preparing desserts to share. Her mom is undocumented in the US, and lives in fear of deportation after decades of establishing her life here. 

The situation of Laura and her mom reflects the reality we encounter as Season 8 comes to a close. Many vulnerable migrants remain stuck at the border, unable to return home and with no legal pathway of entry. And millions of migrants across the US live in fear of imprisonment and deportation, and continue to be criminalized, often just for being migrants.

Thanks for joining us for this season, and blessings on your Holy Week. We’ll be back with a new season in the Fall of 2025.

We are delighted to welcome Sr. Patricia Mulderick, RSM, from the immigration cohort of ARISE Adelante. ARISE Adelante empowers immigrants living in low income communities in south Texas to attain a better life for themselves, their families, and their community. Sr. Patricia has been part of the immigration cohort at ARISE for a few years, after spending 37 years in South America. She talks about her journey from growing up in coal-country Pennsylvania to becoming a Sister of Mercy and spending decades in Peru. Along with working at ARISE, Sr. Patricia has dedicated time to accompanying migrants in camps and shelters in Reynosa and shares moving stories of encountering Christ in the people she has gotten to know through prayer, conversation, and artwork.

Brian and Joe share stories that reflect how we can be invited to be Christ to one another. Brian tells the story of a recent Zoom reunion with people who had spent time at migrant shelters in northern Mexico and are now living across the US. This year has been marked by a lot of fear and uncertainty for the migrant community, so the gathering gave people an opportunity to connect, share, and pray. Joe tells the story of his recent birthday celebration. When the kids at Senda 2 were praying over him, he had to kneel down to their level. As they placed their hands on his bowed head, he felt the presence of Christ himself made manifest through the children. 

We are pleased to welcome Katie Boller Gosewisch, the Executive Director of the Alliance to End Human Trafficking. The Alliance is a collaborative, faith-based network that raises awareness of human trafficking, supports access to survivor services, and engages in advocacy efforts. It was founded in 2013 by religious sisters and continues to include over 200+ congregations of Catholic Sisters among its members. Katie is not a religious sister herself, but she was drawn to the mission of the Alliance. She talks about what human trafficking is and what it looks like in our country. She reflects on its shocking prevalence throughout the US and the need for raising more awareness of the issue. She also draws the connection between trafficking and forced migration.

Brian and Joe reflect on cases of human trafficking that they have encountered in their ministry. Joe shares the cases of Ximena and Yuliet who were both trafficked during their migrant journey. He draws the important distinction between “human trafficking” and “human smuggling,” which too often get conflated and misunderstood. Brian talks about the unaccompanied minors that he has prayed with over the past few years, and the government's deliberate efforts to ensure their safety and prevent their exploitation in the US.
To learn more about the Alliance to End Human Trafficking, please visit their website: https://alliancetoendhumantrafficking.org/

We are delighted to welcome Fr. Alberto Ares, SJ, who is the regional director of Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) in Europe. JRS is an international Catholic organization with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate on behalf of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. With the US perspective on immigration so tied to the southern border, Alberto offers us a different perspective by sharing the dynamics across Europe, which can vary greatly by country. He reflects on the uncertainties of the moment as development aid is being drastically cut by the United States. He shares how a lifetime of ministry accompanying poor and marginalized communities has inspired his faith and gives him hope.

Brian and Joe also share stories of the ways the migrants they accompany have evangelized by sharing the Good News of the Gospel. Joe shares the story of Milagro, a three-year-old girl from Honduras, who would fold her hands and gently bow her head as he prayed over her. After the prayer, she would raise her head up as a big smile spread across her face, showing the joy that comes from our faith. It is a joy reflected in Milagros, and in countless other children who have regularly participated in our Masses. Brian reflects on the catechism classes the Jesuits started offering in one of the shelters, since people are stuck on the border that is completely closed to vulnerable migrants. Catalina, the mother of four kids who are now preparing for baptism, sat on the edge of her seat during the first catechism class. She made the point clear to Brian, “I am here to learn!” May we all have such an enthusiasm for learning more about our faith and growing closer to God.

We are excited to welcome Dr. Kim Lamberty, who is the Executive Director of the Quixote Center. The Quixote Center works to empower vulnerable people, especially in Haiti, Nicaragua, and Panama, through sustainable development, U.S. policy reform, economic justice, and educational initiatives. Kim talks about their three layers of response to immigration: local economic development, policy reform (especially around the trafficking of weapons out of the U.S. that arm gangs and cartels), and ensuring care for the dignity and safety of migrants en route. Kim shares powerful testimonies of people stepping up to address the needs in front of them, not from a position of wealth and resources, but out of a sense of responsibility to those in need.

Brian and Joe also share stories that reflect our responsibility for one another. Joe talks about Delmy, a migrant from Honduras, who was raised as a child to share food with others before having her own. Joe saw this in action when Delmy broke a bite-size candy bar into tiny pieces to ensure that everyone had a taste. Brian shares the story of Nesy, a single mother from Honduras, who spent several months at a shelter with her two kids. Now in the U.S., Nesy reached out to Brian in the Christmas season because she wanted to give back. The story of her generosity is inspiring and should serve as a challenge for all of us. May we practice the same level of generosity as Nesy, as we remember that we are responsible for one another.

We are delighted to welcome Marianne Staniunas, who is the Pro Bono Immigration Counsel at Ropes & Gray LLP. Marianne talks about the complexities of U.S. immigration law and how migrants have a right to legal representation, but not a right to free counsel. Given the shortage of immigration lawyers in the country, many asylum seekers face a complex system without representation. Marianne shares her fears at the start of a new administration with the criminalization of migrants and the ways their rights are being arbitrarily stripped from them. In spite of this, she continues to find hope in her clients, who offer inspiring examples of resilience. 

Brian and Joe share stories that highlight the need for legal representation to navigate the immigration system. Brian tells the story of Felipe and Rebeka, who were recently deported to Mexico after getting stopped at a checkpoint on the way to Houston to get medical care for their 10-year-old daughter who had a brain tumor. Brian started sending texts to Marianne (today’s guest) to try to understand the situation and provide some orientation to the family. Joe weighs in on the complexities of U.S. asylum law through two examples. Alejandro was a soldier in Venezuela and a member of the ruling party who refused an order to fire upon fellow countrymen, which brought threats to him and his family. Dolores witnessed the murder of her sister by the cartel and feared for her life, especially after she reported the case to the local police and did not receive any protection. These two cases might sound like obvious asylum claims, but Joe reflects on how narrow interpretations of asylum can lead to denials in cases like Alejandro and Dolores, especially if they do not have legal representation to help argue their cases.

For our first full episode of Season 8, we are humbled to welcome Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, TX. Bishop Cahill was recently elected chairman of the Committee on Migration for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which he will assume in November 2025. He shares from his life experience that has drawn him to encounters with other cultures, from studying the theology of African-American Catholics to working with migrants at a Catholic Worker House in Houston. He encourages all of us to seek out dialogue and encounter, like going to Mass in another language, so that we might discover the ways in which we are united more than divided.

Brian and Joe open up the new season by talking about changes that took place on the border with the start of a new presidential administration. Brian shares the story of Jazmín, who had come up to the border with her brother and young daughter on January 20th with an appointment to legally enter the U.S. It was only when they approached the bridge that they learned that their appointment had been canceled. Reflecting on his conversation with Jazmín, who was so distraught, Brian talks about how we share in each other’s pain as fellow members of the Body of Christ. Joe reflects on the unity we encounter in the liturgy as we celebrate our shared faith. By incorporating a Haitian Creole hymn into Masses at migrant shelters, Joe was struck by the way Haitian participants came to life as they joined in song and how it enriched the experience for everyone. 

We are getting ready to launch Season 8 of The Jesuit Border Podcast. A lot has changed on the border since our last season. A new presidential administration took over on January 20th and made immediate changes that have impacted the lived experience on the border and people’s ability to seek protection in the US.

In this teaser, we give updates on what January 20th was like on the border, and how things have evolved since then. Joe shares the story of Regino, who fled violence in Honduras with his family only to be kidnapped and tortured in Matamoros. Regino and his family had a CBP One appointment to enter the US, but it was canceled on January 20th when the new administration took over. Brian shares the story of 22 asylum seekers who missed their CBP One appointments before January 20th because they were kidnapped. Even though their families paid their ransom, and they were released before the inauguration, CBP denied them entry to the US while citing “capacity issues.” Now they are all stuck in shelters in northern Mexico.

What has been happening on the border since the inauguration? What options are available to asylum seekers now? What hard choices are they having to make? We discuss these questions in light of what we are seeing on the ground in this teaser to Season 8. 

The first full episode of the new season will be released on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025.

For our final episode of Season 7, we are thrilled to welcome Bishop Joseph Tyson from the Diocese of Yakima, WA. He likes to describe his diocese as the largest border diocese without a border because the population is 75% Latino, with many migrants coming there to work in the fields picking fruit. He talks about what inspired him to require his seminarians to work next to migrants in the field as a part of their formation. He discusses the theme of “Iglesia en Salida” (the Church on mission), describing his parishes not as country clubs but as mission centers that must go out to meet people where they are.

Brian and Joe share stories about the Church on mission. Brian shares the example of all the women religious in the Rio Grande Valley accompanying those on the margins. Women religious throughout history have been a bold example of a Church that goes forth on mission. Joe recounts his initial visits to the Ozanam Center in Brownsville, TX, and the fears he had to overcome as he started celebrating communion services there to put into practice the idea of the Church on mission. He kept waiting for what felt like a sufficient quorum, until he realized that the Gospel provides one: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Turns out it was a pretty low bar!

Enjoy this final episode of the season, and blessings on your Advent. We’ll be back with a new season in early 2025.

We are pleased to welcome Harrison Hanvey, the Manager of Outreach and Partnerships for the Office of Justice and Ecology at the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. Before working for the Jesuits, Harrison spent five years living in Central America, including time working side by side with Nicaraguans in plantain farms and coffee fields. He shares what inspired those experiences and the impact it has had on his life. Harrison visited the border earlier this year, and he has a great story to share about a Colombian family that he encountered on his visit, and how a variety of people from very different backgrounds and political persuasions came together to help solve problems for this family in need.

Joe and Brian also share stories about being part of the solution. Joe highlights the efforts of our good friend Rafael Cortes to empower Denilson, a teenager from Honduras, to organize a soccer tournament in his shelter. Brian shares the story of Merari and her daughter Emily, who fell sick at a shelter in Reynosa. Brian kept waiting for Merari to ask him to solve a particular problem he had in mind, without realizing how she was inviting him to be a valuable part of the solution that she was looking for.