Embarrassed I didn’t see this before and thankful to a dedicated volunteer with El Paso’s migrant community for pointing it out. If that wall ever gets built, it won’t be where people think. And it won’t address the refugee crisis. This article was just published in the Chatham County Line. I’m posting the full text in Spanish and English here. As always, thanks to Luis Melodelgado for his excellent translation. Thanks also to Julian Sereno. This issue of the Chatham County Line is his last as owner. Decades ago, Julian envisioned a bilingual column for this local paper. His dedication to the column helped lay the groundwork for the support Chatham County shows toward our immigrant neighbors.

School teachers, county health officials, local police officers, and other everyday public servants are quietly improving life in North Carolina for immigrant-receiving communities. Read about one such initiative here.

This article was just published anonymously in the Chatham County Line. Other than the actress Diana Guerrero’s account, we have few stories from the children separated from their parents by deportation. I thought it important to post this one. As these young people grow into their own, we can expect to hear more stories like this one.