Georgetown University Press Voices of the Border: Testimonios of Migration, Deportation, and Asylum

"Powerful stories of migrants' experiences reveal the painful consequences of public policy Migrants, refugees, and deportees live through harrowing situations, yet their personal stories are often ignored. While politicians and commentators herald border crises, and speculate on these peoples' lives, the actual memories of migrants are rarely shared. In the tradition of oral storytelling, Voices of the Border recounts the stories migrants have told, offering a window into individual and shared experiences of crossing the United States–Mexico border. This collection emerged from interviews conducted by the members of the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), a Jesuit organization that provides humanitarian assistance and advocates for migrants. Based in Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora—twin border cities connected by shared histories, geographies, and cultures—the editors and their colleagues have documented migrants' testimonios. These personal narratives of lived experiences, presented in the original Spanish, with English translations, show us these individuals' strength and courage in the face of injustice. Chapter introductions—written by migrant advocates, humanitarian workers, religious leaders, and scholars—provide context. These powerful stories help readers better understand migrants' experiences, and consequences of public policy for their communities."