The Cost of Deportations | 30th Anniversary Capsule

Jan 21, 2026

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About two million Guatemalans live in the US. But, half of those here lack legal status, and tens of thousands of Guatemalans are deported back to their country each year. Are the countries these migrants left prepared for an influx of returnees?

This episode, originally released in 2018, is part of the Making Contact Anniversary Capsule: celebrating 30 years of social justice journalism. The miniseries takes us from protests on the streets of Seattle to an Indiana family fighting for their daughter's gender affirming care. It explores a racial reckoning in the world of romance writers, and tells the story of border walls from Gaza to Arizona. These shows embody how Making Contact has been digging into the story beneath the story since 1994.

Featuring:

Carlos Lopez, Casa del Migrante Guatemala
Martin, Juan Sebastian, Rodolfo, and Hicer – Guatemalans who have migrated and been deported, or who have attempted to migrate to the US
Lisbeth Gramajo, Anthropologist at Rafael Landivar University
Willie Barreno, Chef and Founder of Cafe Red Kat
Fredy Lopez, San Pedro Credit Cooperative
Don Julio, Q'anjobal Maya Elder
Don Sebastian Gaspar, Business Owner
Father Mauro Verzeletti, Director Casa del Migrante Guatemala and El Salvador
Father Dionisio, Pastor of San Pedro Catholic Church
Marvin Otzcoy, Guatemalan Fraternity of Northern Nevada

Credits:

Reporting made possible by a grant from FIJ— the Fund for Investigative Journalism. Voice Overs by Miguel Estrada, Claude Marks, Jesús Hermosillo, Joel Ulloa, Max Ferrin, Glenn Ontiveros, Ruxandra Guidi, Jonathan Lawson, and Chris Stehlik.

Making Contact Team

Host: Monica Lopez
Episode Producer & Reporter: Maria Martin
Executive Director: Jina Chung
Engineer: Jeff Emtman
Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonorain

Music:

"Assobio", Z Trigueiros
"Saez", Z Trigueiros
"Phased", Z Trigueiros
"Fater Lee", Black Ant (open)
"Rise", Meydan (credits)

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