Yesterday, Alberto, Mike, Barrett, and Anton, along with a small binational delegation, carried our Compas work to a different set of gates—the gates where deportation planes arrive in Guatemala City.

Here, those on the flights are not called “deportees,” but simply “returned Guatemalans.” While families waited for loved ones being forcibly repatriated to Guatemala, we distributed snacks and water and, most importantly, listened—deeply listened—to the hopes and fears of children, siblings, and grandparents awaiting their arrival. For 20 years, Casa Alterna has borne witness to the truth that, even in the face of the cruelest injustices, love crosses borders.