💧 25 Years of Desert Angels: Dr. Robin Hoover on Saving Lives at the Border | Buckmaster Show
💰 The $7,000 Question: How U.S. Policy Created a Cartel Cash Cow Border humanitarian explains how enforcement efforts fund the very criminals they claim to stop
Based on the Buckmaster Show for 5/2/25, a daily radio show in Tucson, AZ, interviewing local newsmakers. Analysis and opinions are my own.
Border Humanitarian Exposes How US Immigration Policy Funds Cartels | Humane Borders 25th Anniversary
Reverend Dr. Robin Hoover, founder of Humane Borders, reveals shocking truths about immigration enforcement: $7,000 crossing fees enriching cartels, 43% of deaths on tribal lands, and DHS agents outside maternity wards. Learn why enforcement-only policies fail.
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
Imagine being so thirsty in the desert that you might die without water 💧. That's what happens to people trying to come to America 🇺🇸 for a better life. Dr. Robin Hoover started a group called Humane Borders 25 years ago that puts water stations 🚰 in the desert 🏜️ to save lives ❤️. Some people don't like this 😠 - they think giving water will make more people come, but Dr. Hoover says nobody walks through a dangerous desert just for a drink of water 🚶♂️. The rules at the border have gotten so strict that it now costs $7,000 💰 to cross with a guide, which only helps bad guys make money 🦹♂️. Dr. Hoover thinks we need better rules 📜 that treat people kindly 🤝 while keeping everyone safe 🛡️. He's been helping people at the border for 40 years ⏰ and still believes we can find a better way 🌟.
🗝️ Takeaways
🌊 43% of migrant deaths in the Tucson sector occur on Tohono O'odham Nation land
💵 Border crossing costs have skyrocketed from $20 in 1986 to $7,000 today, directly enriching cartels
⏰ Average migrant stays have increased from 18 months to 10-11 years due to increased border militarization
🏥 DHS agents are now stationed outside hospital maternity wards, ending traditional sanctuary protections
👥 Migrants are typically "younger, healthier, less likely to commit crime" than the general population
🔄 Enforcement-only policies have broken traditional circular migration patterns
🗳️ Dr. Hoover endorses Mo Goldman, an immigration attorney running for Congress, as a hope for reform
Crossing Borders: A Conversation About Humanity, Migration, and Hope
As I listened to the Buckmaster Show on this first Friday of May 2025, the wind howling outside my window seemed to echo the voices of those crossing our deadly deserts.
Bill Buckmaster welcomed Reverend Dr. Robin Hoover, founder of Humane Borders, and Tim Steller, award-winning Arizona Daily Star columnist, for a conversation that would strip away the political theater and reveal the human cost of our immigration policies.
Finally, a conversation about immigration that doesn't start with "but they broke the law!" Maybe we'll actually hear about the human beings involved for once.
The Birth of a Lifesaving Mission
Dr. Hoover's journey began in 1999, when Tucson's medical examiner started identifying bodies of undocumented migrants in the morgue. "Some of my friends and colleagues in this city and from various congregations got together several times and said, ‘What in the world can we do?’" he recalled.
By June 2000, 87 people had gathered to ask two fundamental questions: How do we provide humanitarian assistance and advocate for policies that would actually change things?
The answer came in the form of blue barrels and blue flags—water stations placed strategically across the desert. When skeptics immediately complained that these would make Southern Arizona "look like a Walmart parking lot," the organization pushed forward. Because apparently, the aesthetics of the desert are more important than human lives. Got it.
The impact was measurable and profound. The University of Arizona's Center for Applied Spatial Analysis found that water stations significantly reduced deaths in areas where migrants were known to be at risk. But here's the kicker: on the Tohono O'odham Nation, where tribal leadership has consistently refused water stations, 43% of all migrant deaths in the Tucson sector still occur.
When Water Becomes Political
"They broke the law, they deserved to die," Dr. Hoover quoted the opposition, his voice heavy with decades of fighting this narrative. Within a week of going public, he received death threats from the Aryan Nation. Nothing says "pro-life" quite like threatening to kill someone for giving water to the thirsty, right?
The resistance to humanitarian aid reveals a darker truth about our society. When Tim Steller asked about the argument that water stations attract migrants, Dr. Hoover delivered one of the most powerful lines of the interview: "In the words of Dan Eckstrom, nobody is crossing the border to get a cup of CAP blended water."
Think about that for a moment. The idea that desperate people would risk their lives for a drink of water—as if they're choosing between Disneyland and Six Flags—is so absurd it would be laughable if it weren't so tragic.
The Cartel's Best Business Partner: U.S. Immigration Policy
Here's where the conversation took a turn that should make every American taxpayer furious. Dr. Hoover explained how U.S. border policies have created a multi-billion-dollar industry for cartels. In 1986, crossing with a coyote cost about $20. Today? Try $7,000.
"Every single thing that the United States government has done to harden the border... has all backfired," Dr. Hoover stated bluntly. "It has created the market for the cartels. It's what gives them their product of service... The cartels are our product, and we need to take responsibility."
Wait, so our tough-on-immigration policies are actually funding the cartels? The same cartels politicians use to scare us into supporting... stricter immigration policies? It's almost like someone's making money off this cycle of fear and suffering.
Sanctuary No More
The conversation turned to the Trump administration's declaration that churches are no longer sanctuaries for immigrants. Dr. Hoover, who's been part of the sanctuary movement since 1986, painted a stark contrast between past and present.
Once, Border Patrol agents would bring special cases to shelters, working collaboratively with humanitarian organizations. Now? "There's a story this morning about DHS people standing outside of a hospital room where a woman is recovering from giving birth at TMC," he shared.
Nothing says "Make America Great Again" like posting armed agents outside maternity wards. What's next—checking papers in the NICU?
The Real Face of Migration
When Tim Steller asked about the cultural implications of current policies—this attempt to "purify" who's in the country—Dr. Hoover didn't mince words: "Purify is eugenics."
He went on to describe the average migrant as "younger, healthier, less likely to commit crime, bringing an eagerness to work... They're healthier, stronger, and actually typically more conservative and more religious than the general population."
But wait, I thought we were being invaded by criminals and rapists? You mean politicians might be... lying to us? Shocking.
Dr. Hoover's comparison was particularly pointed: "If you want to go out here to the intersection of I-19 and Interstate 10 and Tucson and set up a big roadblock, you're going to find all kinds of deadbeat dads and rapists and murderers and all kinds of stuff amongst the citizenry."
Breaking the Circle
Perhaps the most tragic consequence of our current policies is how they've broken the traditional pattern of circular migration. "When I started 40 years ago, the average migrant didn't even stay 18 months. Now it's 10 to 11 years," Dr. Hoover explained. Why? Because it costs too much and it has become too dangerous to go home and return.
So our brilliant plan to keep people out has actually... trapped them here? It's almost like immigration policy should be based on reality instead of fear-mongering campaign speeches.
A Vision for Real Reform
Dr. Hoover's prescription for change is both practical and profound:
Change the politics of immigration to include empathy
Exempt Latin American countries from worldwide visa quotas
Create screening and vetting processes that bring people here legally
Establish programs allowing temporary workers to earn money and return home
Recognize that many migrants want to work temporarily, not become citizens
"A lot of the people that are undocumented, living in the United States, do not want to become citizens," he revealed. "They would be happy to be here four or five or six more years, go home, rebuild the house... They just want to get some money and go home."
Imagine that—people wanting to work hard, make money, and return to their families. How un-American! Oh wait...
The Road Ahead
As Humane Borders celebrates its 25th anniversary, Dr. Hoover's endorsement of Mo Goldman—an immigration attorney running for Congress—signals hope for change.
"Now we're going to get an immigration practicing attorney who knows what the law is and knows what the consequences are, knows what the ill effects are," he said with optimism.
The future Dr. Hoover envisions goes beyond water stations. It's about public policy advocacy, about changing hearts and minds, about recognizing that "we need to bring in some of the finest, strongest, hardest working human beings I've ever met."
Hope in Action
Dr. Hoover's current book project on immigration policy reform represents the next phase of this movement. After 40 years of work, he's not giving up on the idea that we can "show a little empathy and... a little compassion and... find another way."
The impact of organizations like Humane Borders extends beyond the lives saved in the desert. They've created a community ethos where juries refuse to convict "good deed doers" who provide humanitarian aid. They've shown that ordinary people can stand up to extraordinary cruelty.
Maybe there's hope for us yet. Maybe enough people will realize that our humanity isn't defined by who we keep out, but by how we treat those who come seeking a better life.
How You Can Make a Difference
The fight for humane immigration policy needs your voice. Here's how you can get involved:
Support Humane Borders: Visit their website and consider donating to help maintain water stations that save lives
Contact Your Representatives: Demand immigration reform that prioritizes both security and humanity
Educate Yourself: Read Dr. Hoover's book "Creating Humane Borders" (free download at robinhoover.com)
Support Local Journalism: Subscribe to progressive outlets like Three Sonorans that bring you these critical conversations
Vote: Support candidates like Mo Goldman who understand immigration law and its human consequences
Support Three Sonorans to keep this vital reporting alive. Your subscription helps us continue bringing you the stories mainstream media won't touch, the analysis that cuts through political spin, and the voices of those working on the ground for real change.
What are your thoughts on immigration reform? Have you or someone you know been affected by current border policies? Share your story in the comments below.
¿Hablas español? Comparte tu historia en español también. Todas las voces son bienvenidas aquí.
Together, we can build a future where compassion isn't a crime, where water in the desert isn't controversial, and where we recognize that our strength as a nation comes not from walls, but from the diverse tapestry of people who call America home.
Quotes
"Nobody is crossing the border to get a cup of CAP blended water." - Dr. Robin Hoover, quoting Dan Eckstrom, responding to claims that water stations attract migrants
"They broke the law, they deserved to die." - Dr. Hoover describing the opposition's attitude toward humanitarian aid
"Every single thing that the United States government has done to harden the border... has all backfired. It has created the market for the cartels." - Dr. Robin Hoover on unintended consequences of border enforcement
"Purify is eugenics." - Dr. Hoover responding to Tim Steller's question about efforts to "purify" who's in the country
"There's a story this morning about DHS people standing outside of a hospital room where a woman is recovering from giving birth at TMC." - Dr. Hoover on current enforcement practices
"The cartels are our product, and we need to take responsibility." - Dr. Hoover on U.S. policy creating criminal markets
"You can't pave a mile of highway and you can't run a livestock operation... without help" - Dr. Hoover quoting George W. Bush on the need for immigrant labor
People Mentioned
Reverend Dr. Robin Hoover - Founder of Humane Borders, social ethicist, 40-year border humanitarian, 2006 recipient of Mexico's National Human Rights Award
Quote: "We need to bring in some of the finest, strongest, hardest working human beings I've ever met."
Bill Buckmaster - Radio host celebrating 37th year in Tucson radio/television, 15th year of current show
Context: Led a compassionate interview, allowing a deep discussion of immigration issues
Tim Steller - Award-winning Arizona Daily Star columnist
Notable question: "There's a sense in the current environment that like we're trying to purify, for lack of a better term, who's in the country."
Tom Fairbanks - Show engineer/producer
Context: Mentioned as being "on the other side of the glass"
Dan Eckstrom - Referenced for famous quote about migrants not crossing for water
Quote: "Nobody is crossing the border to get a cup of CAP blended water."
Felipe Calderón - Former Mexican president who awarded Dr. Hoover Mexico's National Human Rights Award in 2006
Mo Goldman - Democratic immigration attorney running for Congress, endorsed by Dr. Hoover
Dr. Hoover: "Now we're going to get an immigration practicing attorney that knows what the law is and knows what the consequences are"
Juan Ciscomani - Current Representative, recently endorsed by Donald Trump
Context: Goldman's likely opponent in the upcoming election
George W. Bush - Former president whose administration initially supported water stations
Dr. Hoover: "That was George Bush's administration. Very different from our current administration."
Also quoted regarding the need for immigrant labor in agriculture and construction
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