KCRW: Beyond the Border

Earlier this year, KCRW partnered with USC’s JOVRNALISM class to produce stories from the U.S.-Mexico border. USC students traveled to Tijuana to learn about what happens after someone is deported. They found an unofficial network of people and organizations working to help those who arrive in an unfamiliar place.

You can watch the videos in virtual reality with the JOVRNALISM App.

Life Beyond the Border

Looking past headlines and statistics about deportation, you’ll find human beings who are caught between a country that kicked them out and a country they don’t understand. They often fall into depression, turn to addiction, which could lead to suicide. But there are nonprofits and churches trying to catch them and help them adjust to their new lives beyond the border. This series was produced by USC’s JOVRNALISM class in partnership with KCRW.

The Deported

The number of deportations is increasing and, while many think deportees are just criminals, they are mothers, pastors and even U.S. veterans. Hear their stories as they cope with life on the other side of the border.

Mari Cookie: Offering Help and Hope

Nearly every day, San Diego resident Maria Galleta heads south of the border to offer resources to the recently deported or migrants seeking asylum. From housing to jobs or even listening to their stories, Galleta is a one-woman nonprofit doing everything she can to help those who are seeking a new life.

Pastor Mo: Rebuilding a New Life and Church

After being deported a second time, Mauricio Higareda and his family — all U.S. citizens — decided to rebuild their lives in Tijuana. In addition to starting a new home, Mauricio and his family started the first English-language Victory Outreach Church in Mexico, aimed at serving deportees.

Destinee: A Daughter Left Behind

Destinee Arce was separated from her father, Jose Arce, when he was deported from the United States. She was just a child and struggled with the absence of her father. Jose, also known as Spanky, resettled in Tijuana, where he owns a tattoo parlor. Destinee is now in college and hopes to become a kindergarten teacher and a makeup artist. Although the two are separated, they speak often and stay connected through their mutual love of art.