Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri dissect the persistent failures of media coverage on migration, exposing how mainstream outlets reinforce state narratives rather than challenging them. From the selective sympathy extended to Ukrainian refugees to the criminalization of Black and Brown migrants, the hosts examine how race, class, and geopolitical interests shape reporting. They trace the media’s historical complicity in dehumanizing migrants and explore the political incentives behind the language of “legal” and “illegal” migration.

This episode unpacks the realities of forced deportations, ICE raids, and the bipartisan commitment to border enforcement, revealing how liberal and conservative media alike obscure the violence of immigration policies. What does it mean when the media celebrates the same border policies under Biden that are then condemned under Trump? Why do countries that welcome Ukrainian refugees reject brown and Black asylum seekers? And how does the language of “national security” mask racialized violence at the border?

This episode examines how the media serves as a megaphone for state power rather than a force for accountability.