Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling

De León (anthropology and Chicana/o studies, UCLA; The Land of Open Graves) provides an account of the guides who smuggle undocumented immigrants into the U.S. De León spent seven years interviewing several guides as they trekked from Honduras into Mexico. He discusses how guides (primarily young men) often become part of gang-led smuggling rings, and he connects the dots between Central America’s poverty rates and environmental crises to show how human trafficking at the southern border is a by-product of U.S. capitalism. Noting that his informants are foot soldiers who aspire to lead better lives without losing their humanity, he builds a strong character-driven case for policy change to improve border concerns. This must-listen account is narrated with precision and compassion by the author, who bears witness to the risky lives of people who would prefer to leave smuggling behind and follow their own paths.