The Jesuit Border Podcast

We are thrilled to welcome Michele Pistone, who is a professor of law at Villanova University and the director of the VIISTA online program, which trains people to serve as “accredited representatives” in immigration court without a law degree. She emphasizes the importance of legal representation for migrants and paints the startling picture of what it is like to see young children brought into immigration court and left to represent themselves. She shares stories that inspire her of people putting their passion to work, like a graduate of the VIISTA program who is helping Catholics who were persecuted in Nicaragua with their court cases.

Brian and Joe recount stories from a recent trip to Houston. First, they share the details of their meeting with Fr. Arturo Sosa, SJ, the superior general of the global Society of Jesus. A native of Venezuela, Fr. Sosa shares a passion for immigration and understands the complexities of border dynamics. While in Houston, the Del Camino team also met up with Lisbeth and her 20-year-old daughter for breakfast. Lisbeth ran the kitchen in a Reynosa shelter, and we greatly enjoyed the food that she would prepare. She used to make us baleadas, a popular dish from Honduras, although her daughter was quick to complain that she still hasn’t taught her how to make them yet!

We are delighted to welcome Dylan Corbett, the Executive Director of the Hope Border Institute based in El Paso, TX. Dylan reflects on the cycles in U.S. history of welcoming migrants followed by intense rejection. He laments the massive funding boost to immigration enforcement and how that is fueling an expansion of immigration detention centers across the country. With the abuses committed on the streets and in detention, he emphasizes the impossibility of conducting a campaign of mass deportation humanely.
Brian and Joe share stories that reflect this reality. Joe talks about visiting a center in northern Mexico that is receiving and processing deported Mexican nationals. Eric, a young man in his early 30s, had come to the U.S. as an infant. He does not speak Spanish, and has been separated from his U.S.-citizen wife and children. With no family currently in Mexico, he was at a loss for where to go or what to do now. Brian shares updates on the story of our good friend Isis from Venezuela, who was detained in April 2025 for his tattoos. The latest updates on his story shed light on the inhumanity of the process and the way that detention is key to the government’s goal of mass deportations.

For our first full episode of Season 10, we are thrilled to welcome Bishop Kevin Kenney, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. In early 2026, ICE ramped up enforcement operations in the Twin Cities, which led to the killing of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. We talk with Bishop Kenney about the on-the-ground reality and the response from the Church. He talks about the source of resiliency among the people of Minnesota and the importance of the faith community staying strong and united amidst a climate of fear.
Brian and Joe share examples of how faith comes before fear and how it provides comfort and hope in the face of sadness and despair. Brian shares the story of visiting an undocumented family. Alexa, a 14-year-old girl, started quoting the Beatitudes, and Brian asked her which one spoke the most to her in this moment. She gave a tragic but heartfelt response. Joe shares the story of a detained father, Mateo, who was distraught knowing that his son was preparing for heart surgery, since he could not be by his side. Amid his feelings of helplessness, he knew there was at least one thing he could do. Listen to the episode to hear the full stories.

We are excited to launch Season 10 of The Jesuit Border Podcast. We continue to see changes along the border and throughout the country as we adjust to the realities of a brutal campaign of indiscriminate mass deportation.
In this opener, we share stories from our celebration of Christmas Eve on December 24th, which highlights the devastating reality of migrant detention and deportation, and where we are finding light amid the darkness. Brian shares the story of Juliana, a middle aged woman who had lived in the U.S. for 29 years. She was picked up at immigration court and deported to Mexico, separating her from her six U.S.-born children. Joe shares the story of our Christmas celebration at the local migrant shelter, which included ten baptisms. Who would the families ask to serve as godfathers for their kids? Any guesses?
After sharing these stories, we have a bonus addition to this episode. Brian’s eleven-year-old niece, Cosette Strassburger, came to visit in the fall, and she joined in the studio to interview Brian and Joe. We include her interview in this episode.
Tune in to today’s season opener to hear these stories and more about the reality on the border and around the country.
The first full episode of the new season will be released on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

For our final episode of Season 9, we are humbled to welcome Joseph Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, NJ. Cardinal Tobin talks about growing up in a thriving Catholic parish in Detroit, MI, and later serving there as a Redemptorist priest when the parish had become increasingly ethnically diverse. He offers his sharp critiques of the campaign of mass deportation that runs counter to the Biblical call to welcome the stranger. He talks about Pope Francis, whose concern for migrants grew from listening to the needs of the Church. Cardinal Tobin participated in the conclave to elect Pope Leo, so he shares from that remarkable experience, and the efforts of all the Cardinals to listen to the Holy Spirit.
Brian and Joe share stories about the importance of listening. Joe talks about a recent experience listening to Kevin and Aidéy, a migrant couple in northern Mexico going through some relationship struggles. As they live in separate shelters, they have been sending handwritten notes back and forth and reflecting on the importance of listening to one another to maintain a healthy relationship. Brian shares that story of Brianna, a young girl from Honduras, who taught him a beautiful lesson in the value of listening without presumption or judgment, but with an open heart. Her small gesture during Mass reminds us why Jesus called children among the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Thank you for joining us for this season, and blessings as we approach the end of the year. We will be back with a new season in early 2026.