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At the beginning of this year, Christianity Today received a grant funding a position for an immigrant communities\u2019 editor. What beat is that, you say? It\u2019s a position that examines \u201cthe intersection of immigration, the church, and Christian communities.\u201d As immigration continues to be a volatile current event, we wanted to hire someone who could examine the complex issue from a human and faith-perspective. Enter Bekah McNeel, a longtime education journalist based in San Antonio, Texas. Living and reporting for a number of years on a border state has changed how McNeel understands the immigrant issues\u2014and how she perceives the national news coverage that will suddenly show up and attempt to cover a story without \u201ca deep understanding of the context.\u201d \u201cThe coverage was always really jarring,\u201d she said. \u201cYou don't understand how normal it is for people to come and go [across the border.] The thought that a truck full of 18 guys could get as far as San Antonio it seems like what?.... The whole thing seems bigger and scarier because you didn't have a context.\u201d McNeel joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to talk about why the immigration issues need less policy discussion, speeches, and sermons and more conversations, how emotions are and are not different on the border, and why she\u2019s excited about this position this year.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices