For more than 20 years, the United States Border Patrol has employed a cruel strategy against border crossers known as “prevention through deterrence.” The strategy is likely responsible for the deaths of thousands of people in 2016.

As detailed in the first report in a report series by the humanitarian aid organizations La Coalición de Derechos Humanos and No More Deaths, deadly apprehension methods are employed to chase border crossers and scatter them throughout a desert region. If fees for smuggling increase, more documentation fraud occurs, and more groups protest immigration policy, border patrol agents view these as markers of success.

Border agents want migration to be more treacherous, criminalized, cartel-driven, and politically fraught so less people make the journey to the U.S., however, it is not stemming the flow. Instead, people are making greater sacrifices to get to America.

On the “Unauthorized Disclosure” weekly podcast, John Washington, a volunteer for No More Deaths joins the show. He talks with us about the missing persons crisis created by the cruel nature of the United States’ border enforcement policy.

During the discussion portion, Rania Khalek, who has just returned to the U.S. after going to Syria twice, breaks down what we know and do not know about what unfolded in Aleppo this past week. She also comments on the narrative pushed by media that fails to acknowledge the true nature of the “rebels,” who were in control of part of Aleppo.

Khalek and Kevin Gosztola also recorded a bonus discussion about the allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election and posted it separately.

To listen to the episode, go here. When you click, a page will load the audio file for the episode and automatically start playing. You can also download the episode off iTunes or click on the player at the top of the post to hear the episode.

And here is the bonus discussion: click here. Again, it will automatically start playing the audio file, and this is available on iTunes.