Part 6: Explore, Learn, Read, Watch, Learn

There is much to explore and learn about when it comes to immigration, immigrant experiences, and understanding the many facets of immigration. There are books here for young children (picture books), as well as middle graders. Perhaps you would like to engage the young people in your life around the topic. There are also multi-media offerings here for adults of all ages. A note: Pastor Jenny (who compiled this list) has not read, watched, or listened to every one of these resources, though every effort was made to find resources that align with our denominational stance and the core values of PUMC.

Books & Essays for Adults

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
A sweeping narrative of internal migration in U.S. history; helps broaden understanding of movement and belonging.

The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantú
First-person account of life at the U.S.-Mexico border; vivid, readable, challenging.

Undocumented: How Immigration Became Illegal by Aviva Chomsky
Clear historical framework for current immigration debates.

They Take Our Jobs! And 20 Other Myths About Immigration by Jason DeParle
Data-driven myth-buster, helpful for congregants wanting to engage facts.

Essay: “We Are Not a Nation of Immigrants” by Jose Antonio Vargas
A provocative short read to spark reflection and discussion.

Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling by Jason de León (2024)
Deep but written for a wide audience; explores human smuggling and migration’s dark edges.

Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas

Pulitzer prize willing journalist shares his experience of living undocumented in the US for 25 years.

The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives by Viet Thanh Nguyen

 Seventeen refugee writers from around the world share their experiences.

The God Who Sees: Immigrants, the Bible, and the Journey to Belong by Karen Gonzalez

A biblical and personal exploration of migration, vulnerability, and belonging, connecting Scripture with the lived realities of immigrants today.