What do you think?
Rate this book
The Asylum Seekers: A Chronicle of Life, Death, and Community at the Border
A remarkable, decimating work of reporting by award-winning journalist and priest Cristina Rathbone about asylum seekers trapped at a port of entry to the the trauma they carry, the community they create, and the faith they maintain.
The Asylum Seekers offers a rare narrative account of the horror of the US-Mexico border. Borders run through author Cristina Rathbone too, whose mother was a Cuban refugee. So in 2019 she travels to Juarez, unsure what to do but determined to learn.
Weaving intimate portraits of individuals with broader stories about the community, reporting from the border as a whole, and reflections on the meaning of faith in a place of suffering, Rathbone tells the story of Mexican asylum seekers living in a makeshift tent camp at the foot of a bridge. Life in the camp is both hectic and harrowing. Families arrive. Families leave. Families get through to the US. Families are returned from the US. Women weep, children squabble, and grown men sob over photographs of their murdered sons' mutilated bodies.
Here too, however, are beauty, and empathy, and hope. Over time, a leadership team emerges. The community begins to convene daily meetings, establish systems of distribution for donations, and start classes for the kids. Serving as an unofficial chaplain, Rathbone is there through it listening, receiving, assisting, and most of all learning about what authentic faith looks like under conditions such as these.
Written in the tradition of My Fourth Time, We Drowned and Rivermouth, The Asylum Seekers renders in startling, intimate detail the day-to-day lives of people who are determined to enter the US legally and who often suffer for it. The result is a fierce, poignant inquiry into the dignity of those who seek asylum--and into what we owe each other.
The Asylum Seekers offers a rare narrative account of the horror of the US-Mexico border. Borders run through author Cristina Rathbone too, whose mother was a Cuban refugee. So in 2019 she travels to Juarez, unsure what to do but determined to learn.
Weaving intimate portraits of individuals with broader stories about the community, reporting from the border as a whole, and reflections on the meaning of faith in a place of suffering, Rathbone tells the story of Mexican asylum seekers living in a makeshift tent camp at the foot of a bridge. Life in the camp is both hectic and harrowing. Families arrive. Families leave. Families get through to the US. Families are returned from the US. Women weep, children squabble, and grown men sob over photographs of their murdered sons' mutilated bodies.
Here too, however, are beauty, and empathy, and hope. Over time, a leadership team emerges. The community begins to convene daily meetings, establish systems of distribution for donations, and start classes for the kids. Serving as an unofficial chaplain, Rathbone is there through it listening, receiving, assisting, and most of all learning about what authentic faith looks like under conditions such as these.
Written in the tradition of My Fourth Time, We Drowned and Rivermouth, The Asylum Seekers renders in startling, intimate detail the day-to-day lives of people who are determined to enter the US legally and who often suffer for it. The result is a fierce, poignant inquiry into the dignity of those who seek asylum--and into what we owe each other.
270 pages, Hardcover
Published March 18, 2025
22 people are currently reading
2924 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 1, 2025
This book was sent to me by Broadleaf Books and LibraryThing, in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I’m a little discouraged by LibraryThing consistently tricking me into reading religious books. This book isn’t just religious—it’s a lot more—but as someone who has made it clear that I don’t want these books, I don’t understand why they keep sending them to me.
It wasn’t as bad as I thought though. There were definitely some things that annoyed me, and most of them were tied to religion, but they didn’t out shadow the main point. The author is a priest, so it’s hard to blame her for living in a fantasy world, but hopefully the real life horrors she experienced brought her back to Earth a little bit.
There were a few pages that I skipped or skimmed because they got to Jesus-y. I also didn’t appreciate the way Rathbone can condemn the cartel, while giving free passes to the disgusting border patrol agents who were causing people to lose their lives. She claims these monsters are “just doing a job,” that they care more about paying their mortgages and feeding their kids than they do about policies being passed in Washington DC. So what? If your orders are to break international laws and torture children, maybe you shouldn’t follow them. She also draws a line between “legitimate” asylum seekers and those who are not, even after seeing the almost impossibility of crossing the border, the “right” way. Finally, she gives god the credit for a kid getting through, but doesn’t seem to place any blame on god for the literally hundreds of thousands of people not allowed through or killed or tortured.
All that said, I enjoyed much more of this book than I disliked. At no point did I want to stop reading. Rathbone arrives at the border and immediately gets to work. Shit, at times she sounds like an anarchist. She makes it clear that she isn’t “helping” people, but instead working alongside them. She helps create a community that relies on its members to get their basic needs met, without any kind of top down organizing. She also talks a lot about knowing what she was doing wasn’t enough, but instead of letting this stop her she used it as a jumping off point. I can absolutely relate to that: It’s never enough, but what are our other options?
The stories that Rathbone relays (which I’m sure are only a small percentage of what she heard and saw) are absolutely heartbreaking, even for someone who has read and heard similar stories in the past. The violence that people faced, the murders of family members, the kidnapping of their children, the fact that 80 percent of female migrants traveling through Mexico to the border are sexually assaulted, and the drive to somehow collect what remains and try for a better life. It really brings home how heartless such a big chunk of this country is.
It’s illegal for an asylum seeker to be turned away at the border, but it happens hundreds of times per day. The agents don’t say no; instead they tell them that the building is full and it’s a fire hazard. Not technically breaking the law, but bending it with the sole purpose of hurting human beings.
Eventually the authorities realize that a community is forming and use all their might to squash it. They passed new laws, laws that led to many of the things the community was doing becoming irrelevant or even illegal. They sent in feds and garbage trucks to destroy what little possessions people had left. And it worked. The community scattered, many returned home to the almost sure deaths, and other tried to cross “illegally,” which could also result in their deaths.
Rathbone’s writing style is clear and concise. She feels things to the core and in comes across in this book. I challenge you to read it without feeling anything. I challenge you to hold on to your hatred and xenophobia throughout the 260-something pages.
It wasn’t as bad as I thought though. There were definitely some things that annoyed me, and most of them were tied to religion, but they didn’t out shadow the main point. The author is a priest, so it’s hard to blame her for living in a fantasy world, but hopefully the real life horrors she experienced brought her back to Earth a little bit.
There were a few pages that I skipped or skimmed because they got to Jesus-y. I also didn’t appreciate the way Rathbone can condemn the cartel, while giving free passes to the disgusting border patrol agents who were causing people to lose their lives. She claims these monsters are “just doing a job,” that they care more about paying their mortgages and feeding their kids than they do about policies being passed in Washington DC. So what? If your orders are to break international laws and torture children, maybe you shouldn’t follow them. She also draws a line between “legitimate” asylum seekers and those who are not, even after seeing the almost impossibility of crossing the border, the “right” way. Finally, she gives god the credit for a kid getting through, but doesn’t seem to place any blame on god for the literally hundreds of thousands of people not allowed through or killed or tortured.
All that said, I enjoyed much more of this book than I disliked. At no point did I want to stop reading. Rathbone arrives at the border and immediately gets to work. Shit, at times she sounds like an anarchist. She makes it clear that she isn’t “helping” people, but instead working alongside them. She helps create a community that relies on its members to get their basic needs met, without any kind of top down organizing. She also talks a lot about knowing what she was doing wasn’t enough, but instead of letting this stop her she used it as a jumping off point. I can absolutely relate to that: It’s never enough, but what are our other options?
The stories that Rathbone relays (which I’m sure are only a small percentage of what she heard and saw) are absolutely heartbreaking, even for someone who has read and heard similar stories in the past. The violence that people faced, the murders of family members, the kidnapping of their children, the fact that 80 percent of female migrants traveling through Mexico to the border are sexually assaulted, and the drive to somehow collect what remains and try for a better life. It really brings home how heartless such a big chunk of this country is.
It’s illegal for an asylum seeker to be turned away at the border, but it happens hundreds of times per day. The agents don’t say no; instead they tell them that the building is full and it’s a fire hazard. Not technically breaking the law, but bending it with the sole purpose of hurting human beings.
Eventually the authorities realize that a community is forming and use all their might to squash it. They passed new laws, laws that led to many of the things the community was doing becoming irrelevant or even illegal. They sent in feds and garbage trucks to destroy what little possessions people had left. And it worked. The community scattered, many returned home to the almost sure deaths, and other tried to cross “illegally,” which could also result in their deaths.
Rathbone’s writing style is clear and concise. She feels things to the core and in comes across in this book. I challenge you to read it without feeling anything. I challenge you to hold on to your hatred and xenophobia throughout the 260-something pages.
December 21, 2024
An honest account of Mexican men, women, and children trying to gain asylum in the U.S. from a priest on the ground. She listens and tries to help doing whatever she can. Frustration with the
U. S. guards and soldiers and the corruption she sees within the system is shocking and inhumane.
Cristina Rathbone writes with compassion about the people trying to cross over into the U.S. Their stories about the violence they experienced are almost too much for her to bear. She relies on her faith and prayer to continue her work.
This is a memoir everyone should read to fully understand what happens at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Thank you author, publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC.
U. S. guards and soldiers and the corruption she sees within the system is shocking and inhumane.
Cristina Rathbone writes with compassion about the people trying to cross over into the U.S. Their stories about the violence they experienced are almost too much for her to bear. She relies on her faith and prayer to continue her work.
This is a memoir everyone should read to fully understand what happens at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Thank you author, publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC.
June 3, 2025
This, in my opinion, is a Christian love story. In no way is it a romance. It is a narrative about one woman's attempts to assist asylum seekers in Juarez, Mexico. I knew little about the situation there. The tome depicts the conditions before 2024. It is a depressing read, but an eye-opening account of those struggling to flee persecution and life-threatening situations. A glossary of acronyms would help the reader. I was introduced to the book and topic for a summer book study at church and there is a lot to ponder given the times in which we are living.
July 12, 2025
sigh. don’t even want to rate this. just heartbreaking and written with such precise tenderness
April 6, 2025
This was such an eye opening account of the border by a priest. The stories of those she met were horrific and they were just trying to find a safe place to live. In comparison to where they were, the US with its unpredictability would still be vastly preferable. The amount of people whose families were just shot or dismembered is insane. Full of that trauma then to have to live on a street and be told no daily and that they were full. The frustration of not feeling effective and not feeling like the laws were being followed cause of semantics was endless.
Guess this doesn’t mean anything anymore.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
She wanted to tell her story and def recommend
✨On a different note I am now completely positive that 🍊 doesn’t know the terms Asylum or seeking asylum. He thinks they are saying that these people are coming from insane asylums - which don’t exist in that term anymore. Listen to how he says it. I seriousl don’t think he knows. Add that to the list of other words and concepts he doesn’t know like Groceries, airplane ticket costs ($2?), basic grammar and sentence structure.
Guess this doesn’t mean anything anymore.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
She wanted to tell her story and def recommend
✨On a different note I am now completely positive that 🍊 doesn’t know the terms Asylum or seeking asylum. He thinks they are saying that these people are coming from insane asylums - which don’t exist in that term anymore. Listen to how he says it. I seriousl don’t think he knows. Add that to the list of other words and concepts he doesn’t know like Groceries, airplane ticket costs ($2?), basic grammar and sentence structure.
February 2, 2025
Sadly enough this book was not what I was expecting it to be based on the description and tags...
It very offhandedly mentions the author being a priest in the description, but it's not labeled as a religious book. It doesn't have the tag Christian either when I feel like it really should have.
I know the authors religion is not the focus of the book, but when it is mentioned every two sentences, it definitely should be labeled as a religious book. Mainly so that people like me, with a bunch of religious trauma, don't accidentally request it.
I tried to continue this book, I made it about 25% in, but it was just too religious for me to personally be comfortable with.
I'm sure other people will like this book tho and will learn a lot from it. I wish I could as well.
Recommend this book to anyone wishing to read about this subject from a religious standpoint!
Ps: This is not a negative review at all. The author has good intensions I'm sure, the book was just mislabeled on the site which caused someone like me to pick it up. No hate to the author or netgalley, mistakes happen. I didn't get too triggered by the religious content in this book so I'm okay.
Once again, not a negative review, I'm sure this is a good book. Just not for me personally.
It very offhandedly mentions the author being a priest in the description, but it's not labeled as a religious book. It doesn't have the tag Christian either when I feel like it really should have.
I know the authors religion is not the focus of the book, but when it is mentioned every two sentences, it definitely should be labeled as a religious book. Mainly so that people like me, with a bunch of religious trauma, don't accidentally request it.
I tried to continue this book, I made it about 25% in, but it was just too religious for me to personally be comfortable with.
I'm sure other people will like this book tho and will learn a lot from it. I wish I could as well.
Recommend this book to anyone wishing to read about this subject from a religious standpoint!
Ps: This is not a negative review at all. The author has good intensions I'm sure, the book was just mislabeled on the site which caused someone like me to pick it up. No hate to the author or netgalley, mistakes happen. I didn't get too triggered by the religious content in this book so I'm okay.
Once again, not a negative review, I'm sure this is a good book. Just not for me personally.
November 20, 2024
The Asylum Seekers by Cristina Rathbone is an eye opening, intimate and honest narrative of life, community, family and endurance at the US-Mexico border. Cristina Rathbone is an award winning journalist and priest who in 2019 traveled to Juarez in order to learn and experience the conditions at the border where families and individuals have fled from trauma and hardship in order to seek asylum. It is a heartbreaking and powerful read as we learn about the stories of families, communities, the young and old who arrive and leave at the border as asylum is denied and granted with no specific reason or system. It is also an exploration of faith and its meaning in such hardship and how it can be a connection with others in need of help and support. It is astonishing how people who have experienced the worst of violence and trauma are able to hold onto their humanity, their compassion, curiosity and love for others as a community grows along the border and leaders emerge to aid others who are suffering and being exploited. It is a necessary and vital read that examines the social, political and humanitarian factors that impact the lives of those who seek to enter the US legally and who often suffer the consequences of changing policies and practices that deny the desperately sought and warranted sanctuary. A powerful honest portrait of faith and asylum that asks for how long can we look away? 4.25 Stars ✨
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.
October 16, 2025
Summary: A priest lives with asylum seekers in Juarez, learning about what they fled, the community they built, and their faith.
Why would you leave home, community, livelihood? Why would you make a costly and perilous journey to the Mexican-American border for the uncertain opportunity to apply for asylum? This is a mental exercise I wonder if many on the American side of the border have ever engaged. So I ask, what would it take for you to do this in your situation.
Cristina Rathbone, an Episcopal priest, lived for close to a year in 2019 and early 2020 on the border, spending her days with the growing community of asylum seekers in Juarez. The Rio Grande and a bridge were not all that separated them from El Paso, and the United States. She learned why they came there. In general, they were fleeing gangs and cartels threatening their lives. In some cases they’d already lost a family member. Others had been threatened with death. Some wanted to save their children from choosing between life in a cartel and certain death. Up to 80 percent of the women had been sexually assaulted during their journey to Juarez. Many had spent fortunes on the journey.
Rathbone, a former journalist, had completed a parish assignment in Boston. Her mother’s family had immigrated from Cuba, and so she had some sense of what was stake, and felt it was time for her to see what she could do, and more importantly, what she could learn. In Boston, she had worked in a people-centered, community-based ministry among the homeless. And that is what she set out to do in Juarez. Very quickly, she came to struggle with the futility of her efforts. So many people. And border officials, acting for higher powers, who wanted to admit as few as possible. She wanted to flee until climbing one of the mountains to pray, and looking across the valley, she spotted a silhouetted statue of Jesus.
“Oh my God. Not to stay would be to run away. This is what I knew, all of a sudden: not to stay now would be to run away from him. And tell me, please, what in the world would there be to do after running away from Jesus?”
And so she stayed. Listened to stories. Organized children to collect trash. Set up a school with several other volunteers. Eventually, it was suggested she accompany families up the bridge to the border checkpoint where they could request asylum. It was thought her presence might help some get through. More often, though, they heard that there was no room (even though she later learned there were ample facilities sitting empty). And so she walked back down the bridge with those families. Presence.
She chronicles how a mass of refugees formed a community. Selected leaders. Established a list of asylum seekers, an order the community followed. Shared resources. Organized celebrations. Then as some succeeded in gaining entrance, others stepped up to lead.
Rathbone describes the pressure to set up big programs and how funders, and even her host bishop struggled to understand the person-centered ministry she engaged in. She writes:
“Small, real things. Small, real things. This is what I kept trying to remember and to trust. Not big, impressive things but small, real things are the way to love–with, through, and for the other. Small not because we can’t be bothered but because we are small ourselves.”
Often, her struggle was with herself. For example, she wrestled with her anger toward immigration officials representing an intransigent government. Or she despaired as family after family returned, especially after a more stringent HARP program. This program centered around a “credible fear” interview. If asylum seekers could not convince interviewers of the danger to their lives, the U.S. refused asylum and sent them back. And they could not re-apply. Consequently, they either had to return to the danger they fled, or try to find refuge with relatives living elsewhere.
Rathbone’s narrative is one in which she is kept, sometimes barely, by the scriptures and prayer–and the resilient faith of asylum seekers. Eventually, she gets help from the diocese, so that she never makes the march up the bridge unaccompanied.
Reading this narrative saddens one with the lack of generosity and humanitarian feeling of our country, which has only worsened. Far from the caricatures of asylum seekers as criminals, the people we meet on these pages are people I want as neighbors. They show determination, resilience, courage, integrity, and faith. Rathbone’s account offers a different vision of asylum seekers–one that looks beyond the challenges of settlement to the gift asylum seekers can be to a country. Along with that, her account reminds us that central to ministry is simply being the presence of Christ with people. Without that, we are just brash, arrogant Americans.
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Program.
Why would you leave home, community, livelihood? Why would you make a costly and perilous journey to the Mexican-American border for the uncertain opportunity to apply for asylum? This is a mental exercise I wonder if many on the American side of the border have ever engaged. So I ask, what would it take for you to do this in your situation.
Cristina Rathbone, an Episcopal priest, lived for close to a year in 2019 and early 2020 on the border, spending her days with the growing community of asylum seekers in Juarez. The Rio Grande and a bridge were not all that separated them from El Paso, and the United States. She learned why they came there. In general, they were fleeing gangs and cartels threatening their lives. In some cases they’d already lost a family member. Others had been threatened with death. Some wanted to save their children from choosing between life in a cartel and certain death. Up to 80 percent of the women had been sexually assaulted during their journey to Juarez. Many had spent fortunes on the journey.
Rathbone, a former journalist, had completed a parish assignment in Boston. Her mother’s family had immigrated from Cuba, and so she had some sense of what was stake, and felt it was time for her to see what she could do, and more importantly, what she could learn. In Boston, she had worked in a people-centered, community-based ministry among the homeless. And that is what she set out to do in Juarez. Very quickly, she came to struggle with the futility of her efforts. So many people. And border officials, acting for higher powers, who wanted to admit as few as possible. She wanted to flee until climbing one of the mountains to pray, and looking across the valley, she spotted a silhouetted statue of Jesus.
“Oh my God. Not to stay would be to run away. This is what I knew, all of a sudden: not to stay now would be to run away from him. And tell me, please, what in the world would there be to do after running away from Jesus?”
And so she stayed. Listened to stories. Organized children to collect trash. Set up a school with several other volunteers. Eventually, it was suggested she accompany families up the bridge to the border checkpoint where they could request asylum. It was thought her presence might help some get through. More often, though, they heard that there was no room (even though she later learned there were ample facilities sitting empty). And so she walked back down the bridge with those families. Presence.
She chronicles how a mass of refugees formed a community. Selected leaders. Established a list of asylum seekers, an order the community followed. Shared resources. Organized celebrations. Then as some succeeded in gaining entrance, others stepped up to lead.
Rathbone describes the pressure to set up big programs and how funders, and even her host bishop struggled to understand the person-centered ministry she engaged in. She writes:
“Small, real things. Small, real things. This is what I kept trying to remember and to trust. Not big, impressive things but small, real things are the way to love–with, through, and for the other. Small not because we can’t be bothered but because we are small ourselves.”
Often, her struggle was with herself. For example, she wrestled with her anger toward immigration officials representing an intransigent government. Or she despaired as family after family returned, especially after a more stringent HARP program. This program centered around a “credible fear” interview. If asylum seekers could not convince interviewers of the danger to their lives, the U.S. refused asylum and sent them back. And they could not re-apply. Consequently, they either had to return to the danger they fled, or try to find refuge with relatives living elsewhere.
Rathbone’s narrative is one in which she is kept, sometimes barely, by the scriptures and prayer–and the resilient faith of asylum seekers. Eventually, she gets help from the diocese, so that she never makes the march up the bridge unaccompanied.
Reading this narrative saddens one with the lack of generosity and humanitarian feeling of our country, which has only worsened. Far from the caricatures of asylum seekers as criminals, the people we meet on these pages are people I want as neighbors. They show determination, resilience, courage, integrity, and faith. Rathbone’s account offers a different vision of asylum seekers–one that looks beyond the challenges of settlement to the gift asylum seekers can be to a country. Along with that, her account reminds us that central to ministry is simply being the presence of Christ with people. Without that, we are just brash, arrogant Americans.
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Program.
April 14, 2025
Disclaimer: I received a copy via a Librarything giveaway.
One of the most rage inducing things in this world are the people who cling to their religion, in this case Christianity, and have a holier than thou attitude, but who don’t really follow the teachings of Christ or even seem to have read the Gospels. Cristina Rathbone is not one of those people. A great many politicians today are, however, and sadly, none of those politicians will read this excellent book.
Rathbone is an Episcopal Minster who did outreach and ministry to the homeless in Boston and then spent time at the border in Ciudad Juárez. The focus of the book is on the people she meets -both the asylum seekers as well as the people who try to help them. Rathbone’s account takes place during 2019, and in term of politics while Trump is never mentioned and Rathbone points out the systemic failure in the alyssum system that has occurred over years (and under the administration of different presidents) Trump because of his current actions and because he was president in 2019 does loom in the background. It is worth noting that while Rathbone condemns US failure in terms of alyssum seeker as a whole, she does not refer to any political party or politician. She seems to be trying to keep politics out of it, most likely in the hopes of gaining a wider readership, though I think those who should most read this book, are those who will not read this book.
One of the problems with the topic of immigration is that there is a tendency of people to conflate every brown immigrant from the south as one and the same. This disregards the basic fact that some are migrant workers (hello cheap food and labor) and some are refugees from various states whose actions or failure is due in part at least to US policies regarding South and Central America. While it is understandable for a state to control who enters it, undocumented immigration is far more complex than saying everyone belongs to MS 13, including that baby there as certain politicians and their advisors would have people think.
This is sharply drawn in the book, not just by the statistics that Rathbone cites (she was a journalist before she became a priest) but by the inclusion of the people who help the asylum seekers, in particular Peter Hinde and Betty Campbell, who are married but not married because of vows. Betty Campbell in particular sounds like a woman you would want on your side. Campbell, the reader is told, as made posters that list the names of the journalists killed in Mexico, the priests killed in Mexico, the 43 students who were disappeared in 2014, and is working on others listing the 1970 women and 18443 men killed in Juárez. Hinde and Campbell don’t really have money but their match their actions to their faith.
Faith does loom in the book as well, though Rathbone does not try to Bible thump the reader, she is a minister – she is called. The helpers that she describes are religious, hardly surprising. There are also places where she does talk about faith (she refers to receiving her call among other things).
However, the focus of the book is one those who are seeking away into the US to escape places where they cannot survive, to do so, to stay in their home, would mean their death. Most of these people in the book are mothers with children. While Rathbone does give statistics about the dangers and the abuse the women face on their journey, the focus here is on how the women are dealing with the wait at the border. In other words, trauma porn or a detail victimization isn’t the point- the point is the inhumane wait that the people must do. They face an increasingly uncaring process at the US border with the Mexican officials not wanting them at all. The image that will stick most with me from reading this book is the young children who view the rubber gloves as status symbols and something to be prized.
The book is a mixture of anger, despair but also hope. It presents a picture of place that more people should be aware of.
One of the most rage inducing things in this world are the people who cling to their religion, in this case Christianity, and have a holier than thou attitude, but who don’t really follow the teachings of Christ or even seem to have read the Gospels. Cristina Rathbone is not one of those people. A great many politicians today are, however, and sadly, none of those politicians will read this excellent book.
Rathbone is an Episcopal Minster who did outreach and ministry to the homeless in Boston and then spent time at the border in Ciudad Juárez. The focus of the book is on the people she meets -both the asylum seekers as well as the people who try to help them. Rathbone’s account takes place during 2019, and in term of politics while Trump is never mentioned and Rathbone points out the systemic failure in the alyssum system that has occurred over years (and under the administration of different presidents) Trump because of his current actions and because he was president in 2019 does loom in the background. It is worth noting that while Rathbone condemns US failure in terms of alyssum seeker as a whole, she does not refer to any political party or politician. She seems to be trying to keep politics out of it, most likely in the hopes of gaining a wider readership, though I think those who should most read this book, are those who will not read this book.
One of the problems with the topic of immigration is that there is a tendency of people to conflate every brown immigrant from the south as one and the same. This disregards the basic fact that some are migrant workers (hello cheap food and labor) and some are refugees from various states whose actions or failure is due in part at least to US policies regarding South and Central America. While it is understandable for a state to control who enters it, undocumented immigration is far more complex than saying everyone belongs to MS 13, including that baby there as certain politicians and their advisors would have people think.
This is sharply drawn in the book, not just by the statistics that Rathbone cites (she was a journalist before she became a priest) but by the inclusion of the people who help the asylum seekers, in particular Peter Hinde and Betty Campbell, who are married but not married because of vows. Betty Campbell in particular sounds like a woman you would want on your side. Campbell, the reader is told, as made posters that list the names of the journalists killed in Mexico, the priests killed in Mexico, the 43 students who were disappeared in 2014, and is working on others listing the 1970 women and 18443 men killed in Juárez. Hinde and Campbell don’t really have money but their match their actions to their faith.
Faith does loom in the book as well, though Rathbone does not try to Bible thump the reader, she is a minister – she is called. The helpers that she describes are religious, hardly surprising. There are also places where she does talk about faith (she refers to receiving her call among other things).
However, the focus of the book is one those who are seeking away into the US to escape places where they cannot survive, to do so, to stay in their home, would mean their death. Most of these people in the book are mothers with children. While Rathbone does give statistics about the dangers and the abuse the women face on their journey, the focus here is on how the women are dealing with the wait at the border. In other words, trauma porn or a detail victimization isn’t the point- the point is the inhumane wait that the people must do. They face an increasingly uncaring process at the US border with the Mexican officials not wanting them at all. The image that will stick most with me from reading this book is the young children who view the rubber gloves as status symbols and something to be prized.
The book is a mixture of anger, despair but also hope. It presents a picture of place that more people should be aware of.
May 21, 2025
Christina Rathbone has written a most disturbing narrative about Latino refugees at the El Paso / Juarez border crossing and the willful policy of the U. S. Border Agents to deny asylum to as many as possible.
Ms. Rathbone is a former award winning journalist turned ordained priest and spent significant time among those gathered at this border crossing seeking asylum in the United States.
In order to be granted asylum a person must be physically present on U.S. soil and show that he has personally experienced significant persecution or is in real fear of imminent persecution to himself or family and asylum must be granted according to international treaties signed by a number of nations including the United States. Those treaties include the 1951 and the 2015 Refugee Conventions.
Juarez, where these refugees were detained, has been described as the fifth most dangerous city in the world and many told horrific stories of family members being slaughtered and tortured in their journeys to get there. Eighty percent of the female migrants traveling through Mexico to the border are sexually assaulted on their way. (p. 43).
“No matter where they were from, or what they had suffered, or who they had violently lost to brutality so gory it was impossible to fully imagine - husband’s bodies shredded in machines meant for agriculture, wives raped and then beaten to death, children executed by a single gunshot to the head - they now had to stop [at the border], take a number, and wait. Unless they had money.” (p. 44).
And these refugees could expect little to no help from the Mexican government which, according to the author, had been effectively infiltrated by the drug cartel. And, once at the border, to be blocked by willful U.S. policy of “not enough room, try again tomorrow.” Always tomorrow.
One mother, permanently denied asylum in the U.S. and forced to return home, was asked if she’d be safe there. Her reply: “No. First my oldest boy, then my next, and one day the little, too, will have to choose; join the cartel or be shot.” (p. 178).
The author’s purpose in writing this book is clearly to disturb and even shock the reader, in which she succeeds. In a muckraking sort of effort she may hope to bring pressure on the U.S. government to show more mercy on many of these asylum seekers. The author admits that not all of those seeking asylum at El Paso/Juarez actually qualify, or even know what asylum is, but feels also that when the SOP is to deny as many as possible that the U. S. is effectively condemning to death many deserving applicants.
“This dismantling of our nation’s asylum system has been intentional, that’s the thing: the result of an evolving, calculated, step-by-step take-down of the protections we were -and are- legally obligated to offer.” (p. 176).
Although the story needs to be told, this reader felt some sections were a bit cumbersome to read, especially for an award winning journalist, and I found her frequent lapses into philosophical introspection a bit distracting. All-in-all, more Americans should be aware of what is happening at our border crossings.
Ms. Rathbone is a former award winning journalist turned ordained priest and spent significant time among those gathered at this border crossing seeking asylum in the United States.
In order to be granted asylum a person must be physically present on U.S. soil and show that he has personally experienced significant persecution or is in real fear of imminent persecution to himself or family and asylum must be granted according to international treaties signed by a number of nations including the United States. Those treaties include the 1951 and the 2015 Refugee Conventions.
Juarez, where these refugees were detained, has been described as the fifth most dangerous city in the world and many told horrific stories of family members being slaughtered and tortured in their journeys to get there. Eighty percent of the female migrants traveling through Mexico to the border are sexually assaulted on their way. (p. 43).
“No matter where they were from, or what they had suffered, or who they had violently lost to brutality so gory it was impossible to fully imagine - husband’s bodies shredded in machines meant for agriculture, wives raped and then beaten to death, children executed by a single gunshot to the head - they now had to stop [at the border], take a number, and wait. Unless they had money.” (p. 44).
And these refugees could expect little to no help from the Mexican government which, according to the author, had been effectively infiltrated by the drug cartel. And, once at the border, to be blocked by willful U.S. policy of “not enough room, try again tomorrow.” Always tomorrow.
One mother, permanently denied asylum in the U.S. and forced to return home, was asked if she’d be safe there. Her reply: “No. First my oldest boy, then my next, and one day the little, too, will have to choose; join the cartel or be shot.” (p. 178).
The author’s purpose in writing this book is clearly to disturb and even shock the reader, in which she succeeds. In a muckraking sort of effort she may hope to bring pressure on the U.S. government to show more mercy on many of these asylum seekers. The author admits that not all of those seeking asylum at El Paso/Juarez actually qualify, or even know what asylum is, but feels also that when the SOP is to deny as many as possible that the U. S. is effectively condemning to death many deserving applicants.
“This dismantling of our nation’s asylum system has been intentional, that’s the thing: the result of an evolving, calculated, step-by-step take-down of the protections we were -and are- legally obligated to offer.” (p. 176).
Although the story needs to be told, this reader felt some sections were a bit cumbersome to read, especially for an award winning journalist, and I found her frequent lapses into philosophical introspection a bit distracting. All-in-all, more Americans should be aware of what is happening at our border crossings.
June 19, 2025
The Asylum Seekers by Cristina Rathbone is a powerful and insightful look at those affected at our border by our dysfunctional and frequently cruel immigration system.
This book is both a collection of the individual stories of these asylum seekers as well as the collective story of how they are faced with often pointless and always inefficient bureaucratic obstacles. It is also, for those so inclined, a book about faith; about questioning it and reasserting it in one's life. I don't believe in a God, especially the Abrahamic one, so I won't dwell on that aspect except to say that the people Rathbone counseled and helped did, and that is what matters, not what my beliefs are. And having clergy there, in the midst of all that chaos, benefited everyone, even any of those who might not share that belief system, I know her presence would have helped me if I had to go through that.
Much of the hateful rhetoric around immigrants makes no distinction between those who came across without reporting and those who requested and applied for asylum. Crossing the border and requesting asylum is not illegal and is how it most often occurs, to pretend otherwise is a sign of bigotry and/or ignorance. What this rhetoric overlooks, or just plain doesn't care about, are the human beings involved.
These people, these families, have made the difficult decision to leave their homes, often leaving a house or property they own, to find safety from violence and threats and to make a new start. This isn't the "making a new start" of someone who decides to change careers or live some place they just really want to live. This "making a new life" is having to leave all one knows to start over from scratch in a place where they don't know anyone (usually) and their lifetime of work experience will mean next to nothing. The people being turned away at the border, by border patrol agents with no immigration law or policy experience, are not the criminals our current regime pretends to be concerned about. These are people, fellow human beings, trying to protect themselves and their families and wanting to do it the right way. But the US keeps changing policy, changing who is "desirable," and now, with cruelty driving all of our policy decisions, things might change day to day because someone upset the baby in the White House or Cosplay Barbie.
I would recommend this to readers who genuinely want to know the stories of the people wanting/needing to come to the US. If you're sure you want better immigration policies but you also want to be fair and compassionate, this might help you see these people as not so different from yourself. If you just enjoy the cruelty of harming those who you mistakenly think of as less worthy than you, skip this book, you'll just confuse your pathetic little brain.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via LibraryThing.
This book is both a collection of the individual stories of these asylum seekers as well as the collective story of how they are faced with often pointless and always inefficient bureaucratic obstacles. It is also, for those so inclined, a book about faith; about questioning it and reasserting it in one's life. I don't believe in a God, especially the Abrahamic one, so I won't dwell on that aspect except to say that the people Rathbone counseled and helped did, and that is what matters, not what my beliefs are. And having clergy there, in the midst of all that chaos, benefited everyone, even any of those who might not share that belief system, I know her presence would have helped me if I had to go through that.
Much of the hateful rhetoric around immigrants makes no distinction between those who came across without reporting and those who requested and applied for asylum. Crossing the border and requesting asylum is not illegal and is how it most often occurs, to pretend otherwise is a sign of bigotry and/or ignorance. What this rhetoric overlooks, or just plain doesn't care about, are the human beings involved.
These people, these families, have made the difficult decision to leave their homes, often leaving a house or property they own, to find safety from violence and threats and to make a new start. This isn't the "making a new start" of someone who decides to change careers or live some place they just really want to live. This "making a new life" is having to leave all one knows to start over from scratch in a place where they don't know anyone (usually) and their lifetime of work experience will mean next to nothing. The people being turned away at the border, by border patrol agents with no immigration law or policy experience, are not the criminals our current regime pretends to be concerned about. These are people, fellow human beings, trying to protect themselves and their families and wanting to do it the right way. But the US keeps changing policy, changing who is "desirable," and now, with cruelty driving all of our policy decisions, things might change day to day because someone upset the baby in the White House or Cosplay Barbie.
I would recommend this to readers who genuinely want to know the stories of the people wanting/needing to come to the US. If you're sure you want better immigration policies but you also want to be fair and compassionate, this might help you see these people as not so different from yourself. If you just enjoy the cruelty of harming those who you mistakenly think of as less worthy than you, skip this book, you'll just confuse your pathetic little brain.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via LibraryThing.
March 8, 2025
This is an intimate, heartbreaking book about the struggles of Mexican women, children and men seeking asylum in the U.S. It is told to the reader through the eyes of Cristina Rathbone, and award winning journalist and a priest. Her mother was a Cuban refugee, so she has a unique perspective. This is not just a factual book, but a book based on the authors passion and conviction that she is here to help these people. There is a lot of leaning on her faith- which did not bother me- but I know some reviewers did not like this aspect. However, it is this faith and personal connection that allow her to truly humanize this story. These are real people, looking to follow the laws of entry to the US. Through the narrative, we are able to see the sometimes, inhumane way the asylum seekers are treated, and that we are not following the law as it is written concerning immigration.
My goal this year is to read more non-fiction and learn about social issues in a deeper manner. The compassion with which Ms. Rathbone writes about these people is genuine. There are many stories where we do not know the ending- what happened to the family, children- yet this is true to the narrative. Many of these people were denied, or their simply not gotten back to.
This is an intimate story that is often heartbreaking. However, through her faith and commitment to those she is trying to help, we see that although their is a lot of sadness, there is also hope. This is a must read for anyone who would like a deeper look into immigration- not just the policies- but also of the lives of people seeking asylum legally and the effect our ever-changing policies have on them. I am still thinking about this book- this review probably does not do it justice- but so many thoughts are twirling around in my head.
Thank you to NetGalley and Broadleaf Books for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
My goal this year is to read more non-fiction and learn about social issues in a deeper manner. The compassion with which Ms. Rathbone writes about these people is genuine. There are many stories where we do not know the ending- what happened to the family, children- yet this is true to the narrative. Many of these people were denied, or their simply not gotten back to.
This is an intimate story that is often heartbreaking. However, through her faith and commitment to those she is trying to help, we see that although their is a lot of sadness, there is also hope. This is a must read for anyone who would like a deeper look into immigration- not just the policies- but also of the lives of people seeking asylum legally and the effect our ever-changing policies have on them. I am still thinking about this book- this review probably does not do it justice- but so many thoughts are twirling around in my head.
Thank you to NetGalley and Broadleaf Books for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
January 22, 2025
It was surreal to be reading this book on January 20th.
People who are outraged about immigration and undocumented folks often say, “They should just come here legally.” I am not an immigration expert, but I do know some things! I know that it is very difficult to immigrate legally. We are one of the least generous countries when it comes to immigration, and while Congress could change that, they have refused to do so (yay xenophobia). At the same time, our country relies on the labor of undocumented people, some of whom were recruited here to work. We are exploiting people and then blaming them for our problems.
But like I said, I am not an immigration expert so one of the things I am working on in 2025 is learning more about immigration. I had the chance to read this book that is coming out in March, and I am so glad I did. In it, Cristina Rathbone, a priest, spent a year at our southern border with asylum seekers. If you saw the videos of people at the border weeping when their appointments were canceled, this is where she was. It is not illegal to seek asylum. It is clear in the book that we aren’t even following our own laws when it comes to asylum - those seeking asylum are constantly being told that America is full. And now, of course, it appears that asylum is ended. The stories that she hears and the strength and despair she bears witness to broke my heart open. Her work was so valuable and so draining, and she helps remind the reader of the ways that these numbers and groups of people are individuals with stories.
This is a wonderful book - she is an excellent writer and these are people and stories we should all care about. Her faith reflections are woven in skillfully and without being sentimental. Highly recommended.
People who are outraged about immigration and undocumented folks often say, “They should just come here legally.” I am not an immigration expert, but I do know some things! I know that it is very difficult to immigrate legally. We are one of the least generous countries when it comes to immigration, and while Congress could change that, they have refused to do so (yay xenophobia). At the same time, our country relies on the labor of undocumented people, some of whom were recruited here to work. We are exploiting people and then blaming them for our problems.
But like I said, I am not an immigration expert so one of the things I am working on in 2025 is learning more about immigration. I had the chance to read this book that is coming out in March, and I am so glad I did. In it, Cristina Rathbone, a priest, spent a year at our southern border with asylum seekers. If you saw the videos of people at the border weeping when their appointments were canceled, this is where she was. It is not illegal to seek asylum. It is clear in the book that we aren’t even following our own laws when it comes to asylum - those seeking asylum are constantly being told that America is full. And now, of course, it appears that asylum is ended. The stories that she hears and the strength and despair she bears witness to broke my heart open. Her work was so valuable and so draining, and she helps remind the reader of the ways that these numbers and groups of people are individuals with stories.
This is a wonderful book - she is an excellent writer and these are people and stories we should all care about. Her faith reflections are woven in skillfully and without being sentimental. Highly recommended.
April 28, 2025
Have you ever considered how life in the borders is?
The author, both a journalist and a priest, knows firsthand. She documented her experience in the US-Mexico border, where individuals and families came in search of a better life, asking for asylum and entry to the US. Whether it was to find better opportunities for work or healthcare, or because of a tangible fear for their lives, Rathbone saw them all during the time she spent there, assisting those that waited for their asylum hearing. She also documented the feelings: the fear, the solidarity –so rare in times of peace, but here so abundant–, the hope and the despair. She helped with entertaining and teaching the little kids waiting, she accompanied families up to the US officials, she carried essentials to the people living temporarily on the sidewalk as they waited for their fates to be decided.
And she also had a lot to say about the policies that decide on the fate of humans, and how those shifted and became even harder. This book, bound to be published on March 18th, was a revelation. It is about a place that is very far from us, but then again, we saw that kind of despair in our little corner of the world as well. And I cannot say I’m a deeply religious person, but the author is the kind of person that gives me any hope that god exists.
My thanks to Netgalley and Broadleaf Books, for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The author, both a journalist and a priest, knows firsthand. She documented her experience in the US-Mexico border, where individuals and families came in search of a better life, asking for asylum and entry to the US. Whether it was to find better opportunities for work or healthcare, or because of a tangible fear for their lives, Rathbone saw them all during the time she spent there, assisting those that waited for their asylum hearing. She also documented the feelings: the fear, the solidarity –so rare in times of peace, but here so abundant–, the hope and the despair. She helped with entertaining and teaching the little kids waiting, she accompanied families up to the US officials, she carried essentials to the people living temporarily on the sidewalk as they waited for their fates to be decided.
And she also had a lot to say about the policies that decide on the fate of humans, and how those shifted and became even harder. This book, bound to be published on March 18th, was a revelation. It is about a place that is very far from us, but then again, we saw that kind of despair in our little corner of the world as well. And I cannot say I’m a deeply religious person, but the author is the kind of person that gives me any hope that god exists.
My thanks to Netgalley and Broadleaf Books, for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 11, 2025
In this book we follow the encounter of an American pastor and a community of Mexican citizen seeking asylum in the US, and being blocked at the border. We follow rev. Rathbone as she witness the camp forming in mere days, evolving for several months, until it gets violently dismantled by the government. At the bottom of the bridge leading to the US, which every one in that camp hopes to cross to escape the extreme violence they experienced, and build a better life for their family, we get glimpse of the life stories and sacred beautiful, or at least hopeful moments that still emerge even in the extremely difficult conditions of the camp. We also bare witness of how the US government did (and continue today, in even worse proportion) implement policies to discourage and stop asylum seekers to enter the country, even against international and US law. This is a powerful memoir rooted in humility, which often leads to feeling powerless. It is difficult to not feel discouraged as Rev. Rathbone sometimes felt, but this book presents us with a hard reality.
This is a book that need to be read by everyone who has the great privilege to live in safe and rich countries, or better, to be a citizen of one of those. Let us be reminded of what the world can look like for some of our neighbors, why the right of seeking asylum exists. Let us be appalled by what policies makers and governments are doing to deny this fundamental right.
This is a book that need to be read by everyone who has the great privilege to live in safe and rich countries, or better, to be a citizen of one of those. Let us be reminded of what the world can look like for some of our neighbors, why the right of seeking asylum exists. Let us be appalled by what policies makers and governments are doing to deny this fundamental right.
November 19, 2025
The Asylum Seekers is a narrative about a woman priest who assists in the asylum seekers located in Juarez Mexico.
Having not known anything about the issues and social injustice in this matter, I found this story to be about Hope. The stories of courage and the desire to teach the kids and create a routine in this space were encouraging and inspiring to read as well as devastating.
The stories tagged as religion and of course, is going with the viewpoint of a priest, but I think it brings an important issues up that I hope does not get overlooked. Let us not discount the work of this woman and the efforts by all in the story to the hard work at the border.
There are many families and refugees mentioned in the story in the sake of trying to find protection and come together with their loved ones.
This was an extremely hard read, Insightful and informative read. One that will stay on my heart. I pray for all involved in those seeking refuge.
The author did a great job at discussing the variety of issues and injustice. There was a great variety of representation and courage throughout this short book. While the book may be short there was fantastic messaging and courageous people on both sides of this story.
Thank you to Broadleaf and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Having not known anything about the issues and social injustice in this matter, I found this story to be about Hope. The stories of courage and the desire to teach the kids and create a routine in this space were encouraging and inspiring to read as well as devastating.
The stories tagged as religion and of course, is going with the viewpoint of a priest, but I think it brings an important issues up that I hope does not get overlooked. Let us not discount the work of this woman and the efforts by all in the story to the hard work at the border.
There are many families and refugees mentioned in the story in the sake of trying to find protection and come together with their loved ones.
This was an extremely hard read, Insightful and informative read. One that will stay on my heart. I pray for all involved in those seeking refuge.
The author did a great job at discussing the variety of issues and injustice. There was a great variety of representation and courage throughout this short book. While the book may be short there was fantastic messaging and courageous people on both sides of this story.
Thank you to Broadleaf and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 18, 2025
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way first, this is an overtly religious book and more of a memoir of the author's experiences ministering to a group of Mexican citizens waiting to cross the border to request asylum (what build-the-wall types would SAY is "the right way.") than an in-depth look at policies, or their experiences going through the process. Rathbone not only found her calling to be a minister "later in life" than most, but even her faith itself was non-existent, as she describes it. As a non-religious person, it feels a bit like banging it over my head.
All this being said, Rathbone is an excellent writer and does more than anyone else I've seen in humanizing the folks just trying to protect themselves and their families from some pretty horrific situations. At a time when the worst offenders are used to paint over an entire group of people, they are often discussed in terms that are less than humanity-affirming. Unfortunately, the folks who most should read this book won't.
In my estimation, it is not a perfect book, but it is important. Thanks to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read it.
Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way first, this is an overtly religious book and more of a memoir of the author's experiences ministering to a group of Mexican citizens waiting to cross the border to request asylum (what build-the-wall types would SAY is "the right way.") than an in-depth look at policies, or their experiences going through the process. Rathbone not only found her calling to be a minister "later in life" than most, but even her faith itself was non-existent, as she describes it. As a non-religious person, it feels a bit like banging it over my head.
All this being said, Rathbone is an excellent writer and does more than anyone else I've seen in humanizing the folks just trying to protect themselves and their families from some pretty horrific situations. At a time when the worst offenders are used to paint over an entire group of people, they are often discussed in terms that are less than humanity-affirming. Unfortunately, the folks who most should read this book won't.
In my estimation, it is not a perfect book, but it is important. Thanks to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read it.
April 3, 2025
Thank you to Broadleaf Books and NetGalley for this E-ARC. All opinions are my own.
With everything going on today I decided the asylum seekers would be a fitting read of the humanitarian crisis on the border. Reading Revered Rathbone’s account of what was happening in the tent cities of the asylum seekers pre pandemic in the Mexican/US border was heartbreaking and frankly almost a modern day Catch-22.
Rev. Rathbone was a journalist before taking a priesthood and her writing style evokes a strong emotional response/is very intuitive to read. By the end of the book although I felt hopeless as I know the situation has gotten worse since then- but still left me somewhat optimistic that there are people in this world trying to make it a little better.
I highly recommend this book to those who want an inside look to what it means to try your best and do what you can in the face of overwhelming unfairness/bleakness. I appreciate her candor about her emotions during those time and her thoughts on what it means to serve a community. She portrays the community with kindness and dignity which can easily be ignored in a situation such as this. There’s still much work to be done.
I was also happy to see a list of organizations to support at the end of the book. I think it’s a good jumping off point for those interested.
With everything going on today I decided the asylum seekers would be a fitting read of the humanitarian crisis on the border. Reading Revered Rathbone’s account of what was happening in the tent cities of the asylum seekers pre pandemic in the Mexican/US border was heartbreaking and frankly almost a modern day Catch-22.
Rev. Rathbone was a journalist before taking a priesthood and her writing style evokes a strong emotional response/is very intuitive to read. By the end of the book although I felt hopeless as I know the situation has gotten worse since then- but still left me somewhat optimistic that there are people in this world trying to make it a little better.
I highly recommend this book to those who want an inside look to what it means to try your best and do what you can in the face of overwhelming unfairness/bleakness. I appreciate her candor about her emotions during those time and her thoughts on what it means to serve a community. She portrays the community with kindness and dignity which can easily be ignored in a situation such as this. There’s still much work to be done.
I was also happy to see a list of organizations to support at the end of the book. I think it’s a good jumping off point for those interested.
May 21, 2025
Book Review: The Asylum Seekers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Asylum Seekers.
This powerful memoir follows an American priest living alongside Mexican men, women, and children as they seek asylum in the United States. Through her direct experience, she offers a personal, unflinching account of the challenges, injustices, and human stories that unfold at the U.S.–Mexico border.
The author’s writing is clear, concise, and impactful. While there are frequent references to religion, Jesus, and Christian theology—understandable given her role as a priest—readers who may not be drawn to religious content can still find immense value in the rest of the book. I personally skimmed over the more religious passages, but felt the rest of the narrative was well worth reading.
This book offers a deep and honest portrayal of the realities of the asylum process and the resilience of the individuals going through it. She writes about this topic with empathy and sensitivity to the community she serves.
I highly recommend The Asylum Seekers to anyone seeking a closer, more human look at the immigration system and the people affected by it. It’s a necessary and thought-provoking read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Asylum Seekers.
This powerful memoir follows an American priest living alongside Mexican men, women, and children as they seek asylum in the United States. Through her direct experience, she offers a personal, unflinching account of the challenges, injustices, and human stories that unfold at the U.S.–Mexico border.
The author’s writing is clear, concise, and impactful. While there are frequent references to religion, Jesus, and Christian theology—understandable given her role as a priest—readers who may not be drawn to religious content can still find immense value in the rest of the book. I personally skimmed over the more religious passages, but felt the rest of the narrative was well worth reading.
This book offers a deep and honest portrayal of the realities of the asylum process and the resilience of the individuals going through it. She writes about this topic with empathy and sensitivity to the community she serves.
I highly recommend The Asylum Seekers to anyone seeking a closer, more human look at the immigration system and the people affected by it. It’s a necessary and thought-provoking read.
May 27, 2025
Only got 50% through
Thank you to Cristina Rathbone, Broadleaf Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.
I was initially excited to read this book, expecting it to focus on the asylum process and the experiences of those seeking refuge. However, I found the synopsis somewhat misleading. Rather than centering the stories of asylum seekers, much of the narrative revolves around Cristina herself. She places herself at the forefront of nearly every account, which felt inappropriate given the gravity and sensitivity of the subject matter.
While I respect that Cristina’s faith is an important part of her life, I found the religious framing in the book distracting and, at times, off-putting. Had I known this would be a central element, I likely would have chosen not to request it.
That said, parts of the book were informative, and I truly commend Cristina for her work at the border. The situation is heartbreaking and inhumane, and it is a story that desperately needs to be told. I only wish it had been done in a way that centred the voices of those directly affected, rather than filtering them through a lens that often came across as a ‘white saviour’ narrative
Thank you to Cristina Rathbone, Broadleaf Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.
I was initially excited to read this book, expecting it to focus on the asylum process and the experiences of those seeking refuge. However, I found the synopsis somewhat misleading. Rather than centering the stories of asylum seekers, much of the narrative revolves around Cristina herself. She places herself at the forefront of nearly every account, which felt inappropriate given the gravity and sensitivity of the subject matter.
While I respect that Cristina’s faith is an important part of her life, I found the religious framing in the book distracting and, at times, off-putting. Had I known this would be a central element, I likely would have chosen not to request it.
That said, parts of the book were informative, and I truly commend Cristina for her work at the border. The situation is heartbreaking and inhumane, and it is a story that desperately needs to be told. I only wish it had been done in a way that centred the voices of those directly affected, rather than filtering them through a lens that often came across as a ‘white saviour’ narrative
March 16, 2025
It’s a difficult book to read. The author, Cristina Rathbone is a priest and a journalist who records the events in US-Mexico borders, connecting women, men and children and considering their stories of faith and hope. The harrowing need in the border that is a crisis is then juxtaposed with the population that doesn’t believe in the policies of policing the borders, and the terrifying reality of being told on to the government about one’s status in the country.
The author is closely related to these events given her mother was a refugee from Cuba, and her anger is understandable.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boardleaf Books for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
The author is closely related to these events given her mother was a refugee from Cuba, and her anger is understandable.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boardleaf Books for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
January 31, 2025
I don’t think most people understand the immigration system. It is and always has been legal for immigrants to seek asylum in the US, but it has become more and more difficult for people to seek safety and that is a shame. This is a true account of what happens on the ground at the Mexico-US border, written by a priest who tried to aid those who were seeking asylum. It is a brutally honest account of the horrors and tragedies some of these people encountered.
Everyone should read this book. It is eye-opening, tragic and horrifying. It is written with an honesty rarely seen these days. Thank you, NetGalley and Broadleaf Books for the eARC.
Everyone should read this book. It is eye-opening, tragic and horrifying. It is written with an honesty rarely seen these days. Thank you, NetGalley and Broadleaf Books for the eARC.
June 3, 2025
This was a very powerful book. There’s a lot about it that will stick with me. I really appreciated the message throughout the book of the need to not assume you can know the solution to other peoples problems and the importance of instead being present and learning what solutions people actually need. The larger issue of what this country can actually do to move forward and create a better more humane asylum and immigration system is a hard one. But as the author says in the epilogue, doing “not nearly enough” is better than doing nothing.
November 10, 2024
I thought this was good, and it was interesting to learn about what is going on at the border. The disappointments I had with the book were not really the author's fault - the religious Christian language did not resonate with me, and I wanted more in-depth profiles of some of the families in Juarez. This wasn't really possible because the families didn't stay long, and she did a good job portraying the general situation, especially the strength and spirit of the children.
November 25, 2024
This was an eye opening book about Rathbone's experience at the Mexico-US border before the pandemic. These pages are full of sadness, frustration and despair, but also hope, love, and community. I don't think any of us have any understanding of what this process is like if we have never witnessed it and been a part of it.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book.
July 20, 2025
I could not read this book in a single sitting because the pain and turmoil experienced by those seeking asylum is truly heartbreaking. Rathbone paints a picture that doesn’t shy away from the heartache and tragedy plaguing asylum seekers while also confronting the realities of immigration policy failures and challenges ministering to those at the border. An important read, just grab the tissues.
May 31, 2025
Oh, I love this book. It is a simple, complex, beautifully told story of the author’s experience at the border in 2019-2020. She paints the picture well. We are inside of her experience in a way that newspaper reports, television reports, etc…cannot quite capture. It is painful, it is true, it is both clear and murky. I love it.
April 16, 2025
I appreciate winning this book through a Goodreads giveaway. The book does a great job of breaking down what asylum is and is not. The stories of the people the author interacted with are very well written as well.
May 31, 2025
Great human perspective.
Writing could be better.
Writing could be better.
June 21, 2025
Wow. Eye opening and heart breaking. Its a timely read with everything going on in the world.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews