Border Hacker: A Tale of Treachery, Trafficking, and Two Friends on the Run

by Levi Vonk

An unlikely friendship, a four-thousand-mile voyage, and an impenetrable frontier—this dramatic odyssey reveals the chaos and cruelty US immigration policies have unleashed beyond our borders.

Axel Kirschner was a lifelong New Yorker, all Queens hustle and bravado. But he was also undocumented. After a minor traffic violation while driving his son to kindergarten, Axel was deported to Guatemala, a country he swore he had not lived in since he was a baby. While fighting his way back through Mexico on a migrant caravan, Axel met Levi Vonk, a young anthropologist and journalist from the US. That chance encounter would change both of their lives forever.

Levi soon discovered that Axel was no ordinary migrant. He was harboring a Axel was a hacker. This secret would launch the two friends on a dangerous adventure far beyond what either of them could have imagined. While Axel’s abilities gave him an edge in a system that denied his existence, they would also ensnare him in a tangled underground network of human traffickers, corrupt priests, and anti-government guerillas eager to exploit his talents for their own ends. And along the way, Axel’s secret only raised more questions for Levi about his past. How had Axel learned to hack? What did he want? And was Axel really who he said he was?

Border Hacker is at once an adventure saga—the story of a man who would do anything to return to his family, and the friend who would do anything to help him—and a profound parable about the violence of American immigration policy told through a single, extraordinary life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Audiobook, Politics, History

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2022

About the author

Levi Vonk is a writer, medical anthropologist, and the Guerrant Professor of Global Health Equity at the University of Virginia.

Reviews

[Barbara (The Bibliophage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my book blog, TheBibliophage.com.

Levi Vonk is a young anthropology student investigating migrant caravans in Mexico. Early in his process Levi meets Axel Kirschner, whose story includes time in the US, Guatemala, and travel through Mexico. Their experiences form the core of their book, Border Hacker: A Tale of Treachery, Trafficking, and Two Friends on the Run.

Axel is Afro-Latino and tells Levi he’s Guatemalan by birth but also spent many years living as an undocumented child and teen in metro New York City. With a wife and two kids living in the US, Axel was making his way in the world of technology. But a minor traffic stop leads to his deportation to Guatemala. When Levi meets him, Axel is making his way north and hopefully back to his family.

The more time the two men spend together, the more connected they become. Levi has tenuous connections to aid organizations and tries to help a variety of folks. But it’s Axel that he risks the most for. Together they dodge the cartels, border agents, police, and other unsavory characters.

Border Hacker gripped me from the very first chapter, although it often seemed too outlandish to be true. On the other hand, Levi is grounded in his approach, despite the sometimes frantic nature of his efforts to help Axel and others. These two men are on a voyage together that gets worse before it gets better, and ultimately isn’t tied up in a neat Hollywood-style package.

My conclusions
The complexity of the whole migrant experience is completely believable. Levi and Axel encounter real-life characters throughout Mexico, many of whom live in the grey world between providing aid to migrants and making money by helping the cartels. Nothing is black and white in Border Hacker except the ink on the page.

Most of the story is told by Levi, and his tone is mostly measured with the underlying calm that comes from his white privilege. He often mentions the advantage of having a US passport. And yet, he’s not afraid to put his life and future on the line for the migrants, especially Axel.

Interspersed between Levi’s sections are Axel’s contributions, developed from multitudes of far-ranging conversations between the two men. Axel speaks with his own unique patois, a rhythm they include rather than whitewash. He’s a ballsy guy caught in an untenable situation, often with no choice but to use his hacking skills for illegal activity.

Axel and Levi are likable characters, which makes rooting for them easy. This is a cultural anthropology story that’s well-told and eminently readable.

I recommend Border Hacker if you want an unvarnished, true story of migrant caravans and undocumented life in Mexico.

Shortly after reading American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, I found Border Hacker. The two are perfect fiction/nonfiction book pairing on the same topic. Volk and Kirschner do a better job of letting the migrant tell their own story. But I’ll let you decide which book feels more realistic. My suggestion for a nonfiction pair is Jacob Soboroff’s Separated: Inside an American Tragedy.

Acknowledgments
Many thanks to NetGalley, Perseus Books, PublicAffairs, Bold Type Books, and the authors for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. Border Hacker debuts on April 26, 2022.

[Regan Olafson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad to have stumbled upon this book. At first, I wasn't sure what I was reading, but I was happy to have pushed through.

Being from Canada, US immigration policy is not something I knew anything about. Mexico is somewhere we go to vacation and are sadly and by choice, ignorant to the poverty and crime; try not to look past the resort. I hear snippets on the news, shake my head, and go on with my day. I picked up a book a few years back that had some controversy around it regarding undocumented migrants and their travels. I learned a few things and swore to pick up some books by Latin X authors. I did. I read them, just trying to grasp somewhat of an understanding.

This book is from the inside; from down deep in years of living with those dealing with US immigration policy every day, on the run, in corruption, violence and desperation, even more so for those South of Mexico. These people are just pawns in government garbage, on both sides of the border, desperate for a documented life, a home address, a birth certificate, a bank account, peace.

The book was extremely well-researched. Levi got right down in the trenches and got dirty with this book. I did like the back and forth authoring with Levi and Axel, and the obvious difference in writing style. I loved that Axel was authentic in his writing and that he could be left to tell his story his way. I also appreciated Levi's more in-depth explanations. I can't wait to see this book blow up and make some waves!

This book was fabulous and I wish the authors all the best! I absolutely recommend it! Wishing this book much success!

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and AUTHORS for this educational and transformational read!

[Quinn Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the most important stories i’ve ever read

[Patrick Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Border Hacker is the story of two unlikely friends -- that ultimately become brothers (perhaps even tocayos, if you look hard enough) -- willing to take on a system designed to make people and their stories invisible.

I, and Levi, grew up in rural Georgia where folks are predisposed to form beliefs based on the latest Sean Hannity show. There's no doubt Levi's hometown following is going to pick up this book. There's also no doubt that Axel's story will change the hearts and minds of many in the community and communities like it everywhere; this is arguably his debut novel's greatest contribution.

Hidden within the pages of Border Hacker and Axel's intricate story are thousands of other stories of migrants fighting to simply exist. Many of those highlighted in this anthropological work identify as LGBTQIA+. With this, Levi also quietly emerges as a champion and ally for the global LGBTQIA+ community.

Put simply, Levi does what most of us with privilege are unwilling to do -- he uses it to fight for the world's most vulnerable. Border Hacker is as much a call to action as it is a gripping, anthropological story you won't want to put down.

I'll be sure to pick up any/all future books Levi decides to grace us with.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that should be required reading for every American. This is a story of survival, a type of survival that I will never be able to fully comprehend, one spanning years and countries and periods of unimaginable darkness, yet is still told in stunning, heart-stopping, corroborated detail. And this is a story that leaves no doubt for this truth: all borders are evil and violent. Thank you, Axel and Levi.

[Jessica Bernacchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story between Axel and Levi shows us many truths that most Americans don’t want to look in the eye about not only the US immigration system, but who as a country we value . The people that we laud as heroes, activists, or saviors many times are not, and this book shows just how much power and influence not only corrupts but harms so many that lack exactly that. Axel’s journey is heartbreaking and raw, and reminds me of the pain and trauma migrants go through when escaping the violence that the US created in their countries. This book showed me that we have to keep knowing their stories in their own voices, but also that we are owed their story or history, and their freedom shouldn’t have this contingency. I can’t recommend this book enough.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, compelling and heartbreaking read describing the mistreatment and exploitation of migrants in Mexico, as well as the effects of immigration policies on migrants seeking asylum in America.

[AndiReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Border Hacker is the true story of Axel Kirschner, an undocumented man who immigrated to NYC with his parents before he could walk or talk. As an adult, he was pulled over due to a minor traffic violation and deported to Guatemala - a place where he has not roots or legal means to work and live.

Attempting to cross back to the US via the legendary train "The Beast," Axel meets Levi Monk, an anthropologist interested in documenting the journey of those who are trying to cross. Before long, Levi and Axel become great friends and Axel reveals that he is an astute computer hacker - an ability that gives him tools to enable him to enter back in the US.

The two hurtle towards the US detailing a series of events that are almost too crazy to be real. Along the ride, both provide narratives of who they are and what they experienced prior to meeting. The entire ride you are on the edge of your seat, hoping against hope that the pair can make it.
Border Hacker is an adventure, an odyssey and an amazing story that you are sure to enjoy !

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nonfiction book, but when I was reading it I was so wrapped up in the story that I almost forgot! Truly a great read and will stick with me for a long time. It also explores immigration in a new, complex way I haven't ever seen before.

[Alice Chau-Ginguene · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best stories I have read. Eye opening, inspiring but at times heartbreaking. I am surprise this hasn’t become best seller yet. But then I guess I am not surprise. The story makes most American readers uncomfortable, yes, even the “liberal” ones. And that’s, ironically, part of the problem that this book tries to bring to attention.

[Grace Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for having a cool professor and that would suck if he somehow saw this and i gave him like 2 stars but actually i was super moved and really enjoyed reading it even tho it was insanely depressing

[Caroline Growney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slapped— read it in one day. Highly recommend

[Robin Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is essentially embedded journalism and is a compelling, nuanced, eye-opening take on the state of migration from Central America (and elsewhere) to the US via the southern border. It reminded me a lot of Ted Conover’s work (especially Coyotes: A Journey Through the Secret World of America's Illegal Aliens, which mirrored the same approach, subject, and style. Though the author is an anthropology grad student on a Fulbright, there is no theory whatsoever. That has pluses and minuses. While the book gives a stunning look at the complexities of this situation and offers compelling portraits, there is no underlying analysis of how to think about the events others than as themselves. There is little to no history, either: and no analysis of human rights, what it means to be stateless, criminal networks, etc. This isn’t something the author hides -- he embraces the fact that this is not an “anthropology” book or a typical work of non-fiction. “To convey it with depth--and all the complexities, pitfalls, and power dynamics therein--it was also necessary to question the borders around what is considered acceptable nonfiction.”

In the Notes, he says: “I do not claim that Border Hacker is an overt work of anthropology. It is not, even as it also depends upon an intensive ethnographic approach. Rather this book is in the service of anthropology. It works to justify, encourage, and validate anthropological methodology in hopes of reinvigorating and relegitimizing the discipline  after decades of systemic marginalization, a marginalization that--let’s face it--most anthropologists, brilliant as they are, have been terrible at fighting against.”

I also shared with [The Nation](https://www.thenation.com/article/cul...) some of the concerns about Vonk’s naivete and “us-vs-them” framing of a very complex issue. Everyone but Vonk, Axel, and a few others are dangerous, or corrupt. His sourcing for this is very weak (he says he’s vetted and confirmed all of this but provides no notes and doesn’t say how). Quoting at length: “us-against-the-world framing. Vonk writes in the preface that *Border Hacker* is the story of “a down-and-out deportee with little formal education and no resources” who uncovered “The aspects of migration the book details can only be understood, he suggests, through a hero’s journey—and it’s clear who the heroes are. But this lends the book an unfortunate willingness to dismiss others that is at odds with the necessarily collaborative efforts of fighting border militarization and aiding migrants.

One way this plays out is that Vonk frames almost every NGO worker and immigration lawyer he encounters as either self-interested or naive. “Listen,” he snaps at one US-based migration NGO worker toward the end of the book. “Have you ever actually lived in Mexico before? Or traveled with migrants?”

But instead of convincing readers of his superior knowledge of the realities of Mexico relative to out-of-touch humanitarian bureaucrats, Vonk’s pattern of discounting others reveals its own forms of naivete. While the experiences he details are meticulously and grippingly recounted, most of them also take place over a matter of months; surely, some of the scores of journalists and humanitarian NGO workers—especially the Mexican nationals who have remained committed to their work despite precarious salaries and even persecution—have made some of the same observations, and learned some of the same lessons, that Vonk believes he and Kirschner are alone in witnessing.

By seeing the humanitarian workers around him as uninformed, Vonk fails to comprehend the scale of compromise required to work in a morally bereft system, even for those who have good intentions. This is clearest in his characterization of the woman he calls “the Attorney,” whom Vonk depicts as self-interested based on rumors and the visible markers of her wealth. (Sometimes this depiction is tendentious: In one scene, he finds her “outside an immigration office in Polanco, one of the fanciest neighborhoods in Mexico City.” Yet this is simply where Mexico’s National Institute of Migration is located; there’s nowhere else to process a visa.) When Vonk expresses his growing frustrations with the Attorney and the way she stumbles through the bureaucratic maze (she can’t obtain a visa for Kirschner thanks to his birth certificate conundrum, and she also tries but fails to find him housing), the Attorney replies exasperatedly, “Welcome to Mexico.” But even by the end of the book, Vonk never quite seems to grasp that things work differently from the way his rigid sense of justice would have them.

[Samantha Guerra Pereyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this book. I wanted an audiobook that was narrated by the author. And I wanted to listen to a book that spoke about immigration. From the beginning I knew that Levi was someone who’s story I wanted to listen to. Then when I heard Axel speak, wow, I was hooked. To hear about two friends, their ups and downs, and the many challenges they face along the way. You will certainly learn a lot if you read this book!

[Mexscrabbler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent book gave me a truly expansive view of the difficulties faced by migrants, primarily from Cenral America, as they attempt to work their way to the Southern US border as they look for a better life.

I had considered myself reasonably well-informed on the topic, having worked with an organization, First Friends of NJ & NY, and volunteering to speak with immigrants in detention (I am a fluent Spanish speaker). However, in retrospect the stories I heard from the people I interacted with there were highly filtered and didn't have the emotional impact I had while reading this book.

There are two protagonists:. The first is Levi, the narrator, a young American anthropologist willing to immerse himself in the immigration milieu in Mexico in order to really learn first-hand. The second is Axel, an enignmatic Guatemalan who was brought into the US when he was a child, only to be deported as a young adult when he had an unfortunate car accident. Axel is married with two kids, and his deportation to Guatemala, a country he didn't know, was traumatic. But Axel is very resourceful, having learned a number of useful technical and survival skills as an undocumented American. Axel travels to Mexico and starts working his way towards the US.

Levi meanwhile is in Mexico embedding himself with Central American migrants, hoping to witness the issues face by them and to experience caravan migration first hand. He is slowly accepted and gets to meet several people (priests, lawyers, politicians) who play critical roles in "supporting" the migrants. Levi meets Axel and they become friends. Through conversations with Axel Levi begins to uncover the ecosystem of playes that exist to support, but primarily thwart, migration through Mexico to the US.

All this action happens during the tenures of Obama, Trump and Biden, and the impact of their administration's policies on migration plays a major role. We experience, along with Levi and Axel, the despair and hoplessness felt by many displaced Central American (but also originating worldwide) migrants dying for a better life.

Very highly recommended, especially if you are bilingual/bi-cultural.

[Sam Reither · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book back in January and immediately told everyone I know about it. Fascinating story of an American who immersed himself in a migrant caravan. Such an interesting and riveting story. I finished it in a day. Must-read for pretty much anyone interested in immigration.

[Al Siew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book does well not to shy away from conveying the true horrors, brutality and abuse migrants face on the run. More than just a harrowing account of border crossing and systemic oppression, it is also a story of deep friendship and bond between two men.

The most shocking discovery for me was the complicity of the Obama Administration in the Southern Border Program - "a program where the US pays Mexico millions of dollars every year to catch and deport as many Central American migrants as possible, as quietly as possible, before they can get to the US and ask for asylum." Next to Trump, Obama may seem like a saint but if this story is anything to go by, the mass deportations during the Trump era had help from the enforcement machine Obama was responsible for constructing. How naive to think that any of them are any different. They are all just different flavors of the same thing. Sickening.

[Rick Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a good anecdotal story of the author and a man he meets while working as an anthropologist with Central American migrants.

The shortcomings are closely related to some of the strengths. The author gets very intertwined with a man called Axel, in a way that I can only think of as trauma bonding. And that kind spills into the whole book. The depth of experience is well told and shines a light on the difficulty of traveling/living/existing as someone outside the standard immigration process even in Mexico, but that same sort of dependence also had me thinking the author needed to seek out some help.

Still. The eye opening aspects of the story carry the day and this is a good addition to a tableau of nonfiction about the subject of immigration

[Oscar URIBE · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to find this book by chance. I want to confirm the reviews on this site that allowed me to have chosen this book in the book shleves. I encourage future readers to do the same. You will not regret the stories told in this book, even though they are raw and sometimes sad.
What the bloody hell is that ending ? 🤨

[Doctor Baby · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://jacobin.com/2022/07/us-mexico...

[Patricia Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook version was excellent to listen to. Engaging throughout while raising important questions while giving relevant context. Solid narrative structure while remaining ethical and respectful.

[Joe Huennekens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ripped through this — reads like a thriller more than anything

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are interested in the truth of what happens to migrants from Central America who try to cross into the US, and specifically the terrible dangers that face them in Mexico, this is a worthwhile account by a young anthropologist who spends considerable time with those making the journey.

It is based around his close friendship with a black Guatemalan called 'Axel', who turns out to be a complex and rather a slippery character, morphing into different 'selves' as the account develops. This is perhaps where the book gets slightly bogged down, as the author's fascination with Axel often appears to overbearing and compulsive, such that he makes frequent trips away from his apparently very tolerant girlfriend to resolve Axel's multiple problems as a migrant trying to make his way in Mexico City.

The book does, however, convey very realistically the truth about life as a Central American migrant, especially of one who makes multiple attempts to reach the US, and ultimately has to settle for what Mexican president AMLO now calls 'the Mexican dream'.

[Michael Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows the life of an anthropologist in Mexico on a Fulbright who decided to follow migrants on their journey through Mexico. He meets a migrant Axel and they quickly form a friendship and slowly reveal information about each other’s life. Compared to other novels about migration in Mexico this follows the story of one individual providing deep insights into his thoughts, feelings, and struggles that other books are unable to convey in the same context. I really appreciated being able to follow Levi’s (the anthropologist) journey along with Axel. This story is a testament to how migration has changed but also has not changed under different administrations and tells an important story of what it means to not be a citizen of any country. Although the ending is very frustrating it fits within the story and you come to appreciate it.

[Alvaro Francisco Hidalgo Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really hard to imagine how different a world that of the migrant usually is. Trying by any means possible to emigrate to the United States, leaving an inordinate amount of misery behind only to find themselves going through another horrible ordeal, one where you can't trust anybody. One thing that truly amazed me was to learn how those people that are prominent in the fight for migrants back in Mexico are just there for their own self-interest. Money seems to be the only language they understand. Money and power. They could not care less really about any of the anonymous people they pretend to want to help. Definitely worth reading for a different angle on the plight of the undocumented.

[the ob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written memoir of a young American that wants to understand the experience of migrants to the USA from Central America. There’s a lot more that gets exposed as the book proceeds and it’s sometimes hard to believe (a warning the author to his credit says in the first chapter) but it covers a lot of the complexity and corruption at all levels in all the countries involved that got us to this point with immigration. Definitely thought- provoking.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly interesting and important book. I like reading, but I often find myself having to fight through more boring parts of books. This one just made me fly through the pages, I could barely put it away and read it within a week, which is incredibly fast for me (I have books Ive been reading for months).
Please read it.
And for anyone interested in the journey of central Americans to the US I recomend to also read Solito by Javier Zamora.

[Michelle Simoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I think Levi and axel did a great job in the writing . Not only did this book share the story of axel and Levi but it also teaches about polices that were in place in the democratic and republican administrations . We need to get rid of the southern boarder policy . I could not put this book down and I will recommend this for friends if they want to learn about immigration to the U.S.

[Katherine Hu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insane. Probably the best book I've ever read. I absolutely devoured this book in three hour long flights (second leg going home for Thanksgiving, connecting flight coming back). This story is gritty and real but also really tender and full of a kind of a very honest kind of affection that is so human, open, and resonant that it will have you wondering why the hell our world is the way it is. Especially nowadays everyone should read this book.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Incredible tale of a bizarre friendship forged in the crazy towns of a migrant caravan. Highlights the impossibility of immigration and asylum laws in both Mexico and the US, and the Presidents (2 in Mexico and 3 in the US) who have failed to help solve the problems.
To his credit, the author offers no solutions. (Maybe in his next book?)