Born in El Paso, Texas, Julián Aguilar is now based there as immigration and border security reporter for the Texas Tribune, a nonprofit digital media organization established in 2009. He also covers elections, politics, and drug trade, among other issues. All of his work for the Tribune requires a nuanced understanding of policy and the way it affects communities on either side of the border.

During the conversation, Aguilar described the tense atmosphere around covering a safehouse in Juarez, Mexico (0:52); detention centers in Texas and Covid-19 (9:20); Black Lives Matter in Texas (11:45); the murders at a Walmart in El Paso (14:30); and the state of journalism today (19:15). You'll also hear the host's thoughts on Independence Day (22:00).