Episodes
Stories about immigration policy, told by the people who lived it.
All Episodes
5 episodes
Welcome to The Melting Pod
The Melting Pod brings you stories of our dysfunctional immigration system, and where we go from here. In this inaugural episode, Claire reveals how everything going on with ICE is even worse than it looks; Amanda explains how Trump is de-legalizing millions of people who thought they were protected; and Doug shatters any remaining illusions that MAGA is okay with legal immigrants. Plus we introduce ourselves, drag the New York Times a bit, and give you a few things to be hopeful about in 2026. Join us!
Biden and the Border (Part 1), with Charanya Krishnaswami
Nobody’s happy with how the Biden administration handled the U.S./Mexico border, but it’s hard to find an honest reckoning. That’s why you need to hear the story of Charanya Krishnaswami, a senior advisor at the Department of Homeland Security during all four of those tumultuous years. She’s brilliant, insightful, and even hilarious – all while pulling back the curtain on how so many smart people struggled to make good decisions. This episode is Part 1 of Charanya’s story, starting on day one of the Biden administration and taking us through the mounting panic of the second year…
with Charanya Krishnaswami
Biden and the Border (Part 2), with Charanya Krishnaswami
You don’t serve four years as a senior official in Biden’s Department of Homeland Security without seeing some things. This episode is Part 2 of Charanya Krishnaswami’s never-before-told story, walking us through the unprecedented border of crossings in 2023 and the misunderstood reasons those numbers dropped in 2024 – far too late for political redemption. Along the way, we call out some ugly racism on the Democratic side of the aisle, lament the futility of Congress, and conclude with Charanya’s clear-eyed border plan for the next President.
with Charanya Krishnaswami
The Heartbreak of Immigration Reform, with Esther Olavarria
Everyone knows that our immigration system is broken, so why hasn’t Congress fixed it for over 35 years? What you may not know is how close we came to comprehensive immigration reform – not once, not twice, but four times. Esther Olavarria was one of the foremost people working behind the scenes to make it happen, first as a staffer to Senator Ted Kennedy and later as a senior official under President Obama. This is her eyewitness account – of hope and despair, war rooms and whip counts, and honest answers on why it’s so hard for Congress to get the job done.
with Esther Olavarria
DACA and the Dreamer Movement, with Felicia Escobar Carrillo
You may know about the plight of Dreamers – over 3 million undocumented individuals who were brought here as children and are Americans in every way but immigration status. And you may know about DACA, the Obama-era policy that has allowed 800,000 Dreamers to pursue higher education, military service, and life out of the shadows. But a quarter-century after the DREAM Act was first introduced, Congress still hasn’t provided permanent relief for Dreamers, and DACA is under threat. Felicia Escobar Carrillo was Special Assistant to the President for Immigration Policy in the Obama White House, and tells the story of how DACA was created – after intensive organizing by Dreamers who continue to carry the torch today.
with Felicia Escobar Carrillo