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by Robin Sharma
The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis
Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here delves into the emotional and psychological impact of migration. Jonathan Blitzer blends personal stories with broader social analysis to illuminate the human struggles behind immigration policies.
It’s the early 1980s, and violence is tearing through El Salvador and Guatemala. A young Salvadoran doctor named Juan Romagoza, who’s been tortured by his own country’s military, decides to flee north. His journey soon leads him into a movement that challenges the US government in ways few could have anticipated.
Our story shifts to Tucson, Arizona, where a Presbyterian minister named John Fife finds himself at a moral crossroads. Central Americans like Juan have been arriving at the US border with harrowing stories of torture and persecution. Instead of finding safety, though, they’re being turned away. The government labels them as “economic migrants,” suggesting they’re just looking for jobs, not fleeing for their lives. But Fife has seen the scars on their bodies and heard the terror in their voices. He knows these aren’t mere job-seekers – they’re survivors.
So, one morning in March 1982, Fife and his congregation at Southside Presbyterian Church take a stand. They declare their church a sanctuary for these refugees. It’s an act of civil disobedience, echoing the spirit of the Underground Railroad, offering refuge to people escaping persecution. And this act isn’t isolated. Before long, churches and synagogues across the US begin opening their doors as well, joining this quiet yet powerful rebellion.
The movement grows. Ordinary people step in, opening their homes to refugees like Juan. In San Francisco, Juan finds shelter at the back of a church. By day, he works, supporting himself and helping keep the sanctuary movement alive. By night, his mind often wanders back to the land he’s fled – to the friends and family left behind. He isn’t alone in this feeling, and soon he begins organizing therapy groups for fellow refugees in San Francisco’s Dolores Park. It becomes a way for them to find comfort and heal together.
Meanwhile, on the front lines at the border, others are taking even greater risks. Peggy Hutchison, for example, drives her old Toyota Corona to the US-Mexico border to help Salvadoran families slip across under the cover of darkness. Every trip is fraught with danger. The constant threat of being caught by Border Patrol hangs over her, and the risk of arrest is always real. But to Peggy, it’s worth it.
The US government, however, sees these acts of kindness very differently. Under President Reagan, officials insist these Central Americans aren’t legitimate refugees. Despite evidence of atrocities in El Salvador, the government maintains that fleeing war isn’t enough – refugees need to prove they were personally targeted to qualify for asylum.
This harsh stance eventually leads to a showdown. In January 1985, the government charges 16 sanctuary workers, including John Fife and Peggy Hutchison, with smuggling and harboring illegal immigrants. Their trial becomes a national flashpoint, forcing Americans to confront difficult questions. What’s more important – the law or human lives? And what role should the US play in the crises unfolding in Central America?
As this legal battle plays out in an Arizona courtroom, Juan and others like him keep moving forward, rebuilding their lives piece by piece. They don’t stop advocating for those still trapped in danger, whose stories haven’t yet been heard. Slowly, their experiences – and the courage of the Americans who have stood by them – begin to reshape the way the nation thinks about refugees, asylum, and the meaning of sanctuary.
Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here (2024) brings you face-to-face with the forces behind the Central American migration crisis. It showcases stories of people risking everything to reach the US, revealing how decades of political choices and corruption shaped this humanitarian disaster. You’ll come away with a deeper understanding of the crisis and its lasting impact on both Central America and the United States.
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Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trialBlink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma