Immigration Ain't Easy

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Chef Nicolás Lopez's name has become synonymous with top Spanish cuisine. He oversees all culinary operations at Mercado Little Spain, a 35,000 sq ft Spanish food hall (with three full-service restaurants, bars, numerous other food and retail kiosks) in New York City. He is a protégé of Chef José Andrés and works with the world renowned restauranteur. Chef Nico was also instrumental in overseeing the creation of 136,000 meals provided for the non-profit World Central Kitchen during the pandemic to help feed those in need. Chef Nico and his fabulous attorney, Ava Benach, join me to share both their life stories and inspirations for the important work they do. NOTE: Chef Nico has a demanding work schedule so he had to call in from the kitchen. Some of the sound did not come through but it is worth a listen!

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Ana Valenzuela wanted to solve a big problem. She completed high school and struggled to afford higher education due to her undocumented status. Attending Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona she realized that this issue impacted dozens of other students. With limited resources available and undaunted by this problem, Ana co-founded ScholarshipsA-Z, an organization that works to make higher education accessible to all students regardless of immigration status. ScholarshipsA-Z has helped hundreds of students locate scholarships and financial assistance for 15 years. It has also empowered undocumented youth and their families with vital knowledge and empowerment. Please support ScholarshipsA-Z here: https://scholarshipsaz.org/donate/

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Andrew Fels and Natalie Cadwalader-Schultheis are human rights attorneys who bring a voice to the voiceless. Through litigation and research they are exposing the U.S. government's violations of international law and unlawful use of inhumane policies that force migrants into situations where they disappear and/or die.
Natalie and Andrew join me to discuss how this occurs under the current enforcement construct and how the U.S. Border Patrol and ICE are complicit in these acts. In one study conducted by Natalie and Diego F. Leal they collected and analyzed data from 117 respondents and found that 73 percent who were in BP custody experienced an enforced disappearance as they were unable to make phone calls and were offered no reliable publicly accessible locator system to be located by. Both lawyers are exposing these human rights violations and, in turn, hope to push for more transparency by the U.S. government. Their efforts could save lives and prevent these agencies from functioning as a secret police.

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Myles Traphagen is the ultimate champion for migrant rights: for insects, animals and humans. He is a recognized advocate for the conservation and protection of our ecology in the face of human-created devastation. Myles is consistently cited to and quoted by numerous media organizations when it comes to the negative impact of the border wall on the natural environment on the U.S./Mexico border. As the Borderlands Program Coordinator for the Wildlands Network, Myles is the foremost expert on the borderlands region with a focus on channeling collaborative efforts to maintain and restore habitat for species like jaguar, black bear and Sonoran pronghorn. His critical research has documented dramatic reductions in wildlife crossings through border walls compared to vehicle barriers and highlights the urgent need for mitigation strategies to preserve biodiversity and restore wildlife connectivity in the region. He is an important voice against the border wall and other human-made barriers.
Myles also serves as an important advocate for the rights of migrants who travel through the Southwest border and speaks about his experiences in assisting them. His perspective is extremely important and he embodies the MLK, Jr. quote: "let's build bridges, not walls." Please join me and listen to Myles' story and his unique experiences working on the border for the common good.

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Juan Escalante personifies "self-preservation." He has had to overcome many obstacles throughout his life and he has persevered, primarily due to his own advocacy. Juan came to the United States from Venezuela with his family following the election of Hugo Chavez. Unfortunately, poor legal advice by an attorney left his family without legal status in the U.S. and Juan's journey to find a legal path began. Juan's story is an example of how delicate the immigration process can be and how one error or piece of bad advice can send you down the wrong path. He is a champion of the DREAM Act and DACA. Juan has thrived because of DACA and he still is fighting to keep it in existence.