The Rational Middle

Hosts Chris Lyon, Loren Steffy and Melissa Brannan join new host Carter Carroll to look back at the first 150 episodes of the podcast. The crew discusses favorite past episodes, recent immigration news, and the future of the podcast.

Marshall Fitz is the Managing Director of Immigration of the Emerson Collective. The Emerson Collective "develop(s) strategies to remove barriers to opportunity, and work with community partners to advance common sense solutions to systemic problems." Marshall joins host Chris Lyon to discuss the Emerson Collective's work in immigration, as well as the Title 42 challenges that many immigrants are facing in America.

Douglas Rivlin is the Director of Communication for America's Voice and America's Voice Education Fund. The mission of America's Voice and America's Voice Education Fund is to build the public support and the political will needed to enact policy changes that secure freedom and opportunity for immigrants in America. Rivlin joins host Loren Steffy to discuss the recent mid-term elections and how American voters are pushing for immigration reform.

Mariko Hirose is the U.S. Litigation Director at International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP.) Mariko joins host Loren Steffy to discuss IRAP's work in aiding refugee's worldwide and here in America. They also discuss IRAP's recent letter of recommendation to the US government on how to help refugee's trying to make it to America.

Tran Dang is the founder and executive director fo the Rhizome Center for Migrants. Their mission is to support and defend forcibly displaced persons and uprooted people at risk around the world. Dang joins host Melissa Brannan to discuss the work of the center, as well as the problems facing bi-national families at the border between the US and Mexico.

As we near the midterm elections, we are re-visiting our interview with Theresa Cardinal Brown of the Bipartisan Policy Center to discuss why we fear immigrants, particularly undocumented ones, and what the realistic solutions might be.

As we near the midterm elections, we are re-visiting our interview with Chief Andy Harvey, Chief of Police in Pharr, Texas, as well as its newly-appointed City Manager, joins Melissa Brannan to discuss some of the components of life in a border town: the blockade at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, Operation Lone Star, what it's like being on the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force, and more.

Angelica Razo is the Texas State Director for Mi Familia Vota, an organization dedicated to building up the political power and representation of Latinos in the United States. Razo joins host Loren Steffy to discuss the recent work of the organization, including a memo calling for Democrats to fight harder for immigrants.

Eunice Cho is a staff attorney for the ACLU National Prison Project, a project that is working for prison reform and the rights of prisoners around the country. Cho joins host Melissa Brannan to discuss her work with the National Prison Project, as well as how ICE Detention Centers are growing in America.