What in the Actual Hell: US Immigration in 2018 with journalist Tina Vasquez

Summary: Despite being on a short recording hiatus in between seasons, Tamarindo Podcast was compelled to produce a special episode in light of the devastating recent developments in US immigration policy. On this episode, Melinna interviews Tina Vasquez, senior reporter covering immigration at Rewire.News, in order to begin unpacking some of the most horrific results of a failed US immigration system that has only been exacerbated by the Trump administration. Vasquez is an award-winning writer focusing on intersectional feminism, racial justice, and immigration. Vasquez not only discusses family separation and the indefinite detention of “tender age” migrant children in 2018, but places these atrocities in historical context by reviewing this country’s stained past of dehumanizing communities of color from enslaved people to indigenous people and various immigrant groups. She also reviews how previous administrations laid the groundwork for the present situation as we dive into one of her recent works: The US has a Long History of Helping to “Disappear” Central Americans. FYI the interview with Tina is over the phone bc she is based in the East Coast, so listen carefully because her analysis is urgent and insightful. Since the Educated Peleonera’s love to provide both critical and comedic interventions, we start this episode with our classic Chanclazo segment while also catching you up on some recent Tamarindo appearances, like Wellesley College, #LALIFF, Brenda on the hit #CrookedMedia podcast Lovett or Leave It (that led to Melinna’s upcoming appearance on #ThrowingShade pod) and tell you why it’s important to support #VIDAstarz. Though we recorded this episode before Mexico was eliminated in the #WorldCup (#ElTri Por Vida), we still believe in #Chicharito’s challenge: #ImaginémonosCosasChingonas! Nothing embodies these vibes to us more lately than the primary win of #EducatedPeleonera Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Bronx born Boricua who unseated a 10 term incumbent (and heir apparent to Pelosi as next speaker of the house) with 57.5% of the vote in New York’s District 14\. We celebrate the 28 year old Democratic Socialist with a platform that includes calls to #AbolishICE, #MedicareForAll, and fully funded public schools and universities. Show notes: Tina Vasquez on Twitter: @TheTinaVasquez Tina Vasquez on In The Thick: [https://overcast.fm/+GDLIxi5QM](https://overcast.fm/+GDLIxi5QM) Recent Rewire.News articles on Immigration: -[The US Has a Long History of Helping to ‘Disappear’ Central Americans](https://rewire.news/article/2018/06/22/history-helping-disappear-central-americans/) - on the history of family separation and detention -[The New ICE Age: An Agency Unleashed](https://rewire.news/article/2018/05/02/new-ice-age-agency-unleashed/) - on mass deportation and how ICE has become empowered -[By Painting Asylum Seekers as ‘Violent Animals,’ Trump Unlocked a School-to-Deportation Pipeline](https://rewire.news/article/2018/05/24/painting-asylum-seekers-violent-animals-trump-unlocked-school-deportation-pipeline/) - on the dehumanization of asylum seekers and the school-to-deportation pipeline