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Stopping the Deportation Machine: One Immigrant Student's Arrest and the Kids Who Took on Washington to Get Him Back
It could happen anywhere in America. And it could happen today.
Stopping the Deportation Machine tells the true story of one undocumented student's journey to America to escape death threats, reunite with his family, and pursue an education. In the blink of an eye, Wildin Acosta's dream of becoming the first member of his family to graduate high school in the United States turned into a nightmare when undercover immigration agents in Durham, North Carolina, arrested him one morning before school, intending to deport him to his native Honduras.
This is a book about immigration, education, and community. Written by the school's journalism teacher, it also tells the story of one educator's awakening to the plight of undocumented students and a system that sometimes treats them as little more than cogs in a deportation machine. Based in part on accounts by student journalists and extensive interviews with Wildin Acosta, Christopher tells the story of how, with assistance from teachers, community leaders, and elected officials, four high school students fought all the way to Washington, DC, to get Wildin released from a government detention center and back in school.
At a time when Americans continue to be deeply divided about the plight of undocumented children, Stopping the Machine breaks through the polarized rhetoric to put a human face on a problem that resides in communities across the nation. It will make readers change the way they think about why people come to America and how our government decides who can and cannot stay.
Stopping the Deportation Machine tells the true story of one undocumented student's journey to America to escape death threats, reunite with his family, and pursue an education. In the blink of an eye, Wildin Acosta's dream of becoming the first member of his family to graduate high school in the United States turned into a nightmare when undercover immigration agents in Durham, North Carolina, arrested him one morning before school, intending to deport him to his native Honduras.
This is a book about immigration, education, and community. Written by the school's journalism teacher, it also tells the story of one educator's awakening to the plight of undocumented students and a system that sometimes treats them as little more than cogs in a deportation machine. Based in part on accounts by student journalists and extensive interviews with Wildin Acosta, Christopher tells the story of how, with assistance from teachers, community leaders, and elected officials, four high school students fought all the way to Washington, DC, to get Wildin released from a government detention center and back in school.
At a time when Americans continue to be deeply divided about the plight of undocumented children, Stopping the Machine breaks through the polarized rhetoric to put a human face on a problem that resides in communities across the nation. It will make readers change the way they think about why people come to America and how our government decides who can and cannot stay.
- GenresSocial Justice
295 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 19, 2025
I loved this! Bryan tells us a story of heartbreak and community while not sounding like a nonfiction novel. Just an unjust system that folks I know and love are fighting against.
November 28, 2025
I live in Durham, my daughter graduated from Riverside high school in 2019, and I well remember the community outrage when a high schooler was detained by ICE on his way to school.
While I was reading this book in Nov 2025, ICE came through North Carolina, arresting many people in Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham. Out of 340+ people arrested, 44 had criminal records. Untold numbers of people spent the week terrified. They stayed home from school, work, grocery stores etc. Others helped with food drives and deliveries for them. The world was turned upside down for many, as the Trump administration sought the “worst of the worst” in the caring, close-knit, hardworking immigrant communities in NC. In my mind, the only “crime” for most was seeking a better life away from lawless and gang-riddled countries.
The current ICE raids under Trump brought home to me how lucky Wildin was, and how hard the Durham activist and Riverside communities worked to halt his deportation. It was a time when there were people in government who would actually lend an ear, and use their influence for good, and be helpful to someone caught up in a system through no fault of their own. Today, ICE is a large, ruthless machine, backed by a ridiculous amount of federal money.
I really appreciate Bryan Christopher’s account of this story. He is the new middle class journalism teacher, gradually drawn into helping Wildin. His work with people helping Wildin in turn deepens his understanding of the students he teaches. Christopher keeps the story moving and compelling. I particularly enjoyed his portrayal of the journalism students
My only regret is that the arrests and deportations are continuing nine years on a greater, less humane scale. The world needs more stories like Wildin’s that provide us with hope.
While I was reading this book in Nov 2025, ICE came through North Carolina, arresting many people in Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham. Out of 340+ people arrested, 44 had criminal records. Untold numbers of people spent the week terrified. They stayed home from school, work, grocery stores etc. Others helped with food drives and deliveries for them. The world was turned upside down for many, as the Trump administration sought the “worst of the worst” in the caring, close-knit, hardworking immigrant communities in NC. In my mind, the only “crime” for most was seeking a better life away from lawless and gang-riddled countries.
The current ICE raids under Trump brought home to me how lucky Wildin was, and how hard the Durham activist and Riverside communities worked to halt his deportation. It was a time when there were people in government who would actually lend an ear, and use their influence for good, and be helpful to someone caught up in a system through no fault of their own. Today, ICE is a large, ruthless machine, backed by a ridiculous amount of federal money.
I really appreciate Bryan Christopher’s account of this story. He is the new middle class journalism teacher, gradually drawn into helping Wildin. His work with people helping Wildin in turn deepens his understanding of the students he teaches. Christopher keeps the story moving and compelling. I particularly enjoyed his portrayal of the journalism students
My only regret is that the arrests and deportations are continuing nine years on a greater, less humane scale. The world needs more stories like Wildin’s that provide us with hope.
October 16, 2025
This beautiful book gives an inside perspective to the immigration system and the humans stuck inside of it. But the inspiring sense of community, compassion, and advocacy for humanity is powerfully uplifting. The author’s humble telling of this story showcases the young passionate students and gives hope for our collective future.
September 15, 2025
This book walks you through a students deportation story through a teacher’s eyes. It highlights the privilege that some have to Wildin’s journey, escaping gang violence. It is truly inspirational to hear how many teachers and students advocated for their schoolmate, all to bring him back and let him graduate.
The book had me wishing it had double the number of pages so each advocate could have had their own time in the spotlight. I also felt like a timeline of events or a list of key players may have helped me follow along better.
The book had me wishing it had double the number of pages so each advocate could have had their own time in the spotlight. I also felt like a timeline of events or a list of key players may have helped me follow along better.
September 25, 2025
Bryan weaves the different pieces of this narrative together brilliantly. I really enjoyed reading this--I was captivated from the first pages. This book contains a lot of rich information but never once feels dull or lifeless; each person in the story feels so lively.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews