The Brian Lehrer Show

Reverend Juan Carlos Ruiz, a Lutheran pastor who ministers to immigrants, and A.L. Press, a New Yorker reporter on Jewish community divides. They discuss how Gaza and Zionism are fracturing synagogues. They also explore Christian responses to immigration, from radical hospitality to calls for controlled borders. Short, timely conversations on faith, politics, and community tensions.

Luis Perales, staff writer at The Atlantic who covers culture and religion, explores whether Gen Z is experiencing a Christian revival. He contrasts national data with local pockets of growth. Conversations cover college ministries as refuge from careerism, rising unaffiliated rates among young people, and how small congregations shape broader trends.

Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian activist who endured over a year in ICE custody after protesting, recounts harsh detention conditions and her advocacy for detainees. Sarah Sherman-Stokes, a Boston University law clinical professor and attorney, explains the legal battles, alleged targeted enforcement, and systemic issues driving distant transfers and poor conditions. They discuss protest motivations, nonviolent resistance, and calls for release and reform.

Hannah Frishberg, culture reporter at Gothamist/WNYC who covers arts and affordable city life, shares hacks for a New York night under $20. She outlines cheap eats, free rides and skyline views, budget-friendly museums and gallery nights, and inventive low-cost entertainment ideas.

Greg David, fiscal and economic analyst and CUNY journalism program director, breaks down March’s payroll bounce and what it means for NYC. He walks through which sectors led gains, cautions about one-month spikes, and discusses healthcare, manufacturing, small business pressures, AI’s hiring effects, and risks from geopolitical and budget shifts.

Andy Kim, U.S. Senator from New Jersey and former national security adviser with Pentagon and State Dept experience. He criticizes unclear war aims and questions the costs and tradeoffs of military action. He discusses limits of force against nonstate actors and stresses constitutional and diplomatic concerns. He also touches on voting access and immigration enforcement reforms.

Marielle Anzelone, urban botanist and founder of NYC Wildflower Week, reconnects city residents with waterways. Chris Bowser, estuary educator with NYS DEC and Cornell Water Resources, studies aquatic migrations and community science. They explore spring migrations of eels and horseshoe crabs. They talk about where and when these movements happen and how listeners can help track them.

Ryan Grim, co‑founder of DropSite News and convoy reporter, and Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker staff writer and longtime Latin America correspondent, discuss Cuba’s acute fuel crisis and the Russian tanker delivery’s limits. They examine U.S. sanctions, narratives around humanitarian aid, the Nuestra América convoy’s logistics, and the risks of provocative rhetoric about intervention.

Reverend Juan Carlos Ruiz, a Lutheran pastor who ministers to immigrant and undocumented communities, reflects on faith-shaped responses to immigration. He recounts his own arrival and ministry. He critiques over-militarized border policies, discusses Jesus’ call to humble service, and describes his congregation’s radical hospitality to mixed-status families.

Jonathan Lemire, political journalist and Morning Joe co-host, offers sharp reporting and analysis on national politics. He discusses the Supreme Court fight over birthright citizenship and the legal history of the 14th Amendment. He also breaks down Trump's presence at the Court, a new executive order on mail-in voting, and U.S. options and risks in the Iran conflict.