S3 Special (2/4): Listening Under ICE - First Contact and Intake

The room is bright, the hour is brutal, and the air is thick with questions no one is ready to ask. We step into first contact with Border Patrol through the ears of a professional interpreter who holds a six-hour line between fear and clarity. From the moment rights are read to the last signature on a form, we navigate chaos, adrenaline, and the quiet discipline of saying exactly what someone means—no more, no less.

We unpack how geography, not just language, makes these conversations so complex. Overstays trace a straight line; irregular crossings can span Ecuador, the Darien Gap, and a gauntlet of borders before reaching Mexico. Chinese social media maps routes and promises shortcuts, while reality delivers jungles, cartels, and weeks of walking. Inside the room, those miles condense into a voice that might tremble, splinter into dialects, or spill out in bursts. Translating under stress demands a sharp ear for accents, a steady cadence for legal terms like credible fear interview and adjustment of status, and the restraint to keep bias

Please contact me at theunclewong@gmail.com

Transcript

A Six-Hour First Contact

SPEAKER_01 0:00

The longest first contact assignment I've ever worked on was over six hours straight. With only one bathroom break. And this wasn't even a call from ICE. But it was a call from Border Patrol. It started at 2 in the morning and it didn't end until well after sunrise. At that point, language was no longer the problem. I explained to you before that I had emotional barriers before I started my job. But bit by bit, after every assignment, especially ones like these, it seemed to fall apart. Not in a bad way, not in a crippling way, but because it's my job. So I would say in a mature way. Because those six hours felt really dark to me. And when the adrenaline stopped, the coffee didn't. This required plenty of stamina, both emotionally and physically. Welcome back to the special series, Listening Under Ice, and I'm your host, Uncle Wam. So now that you know what I do apart from a real job and podcasting, it's time to walk you through what this first contact really feels like. Of course, before we start, you know I'm not privileged to share any names or identify any details. But what I can share is what it looks and feels like from my side. No fluff, no BS, no political agenda. First thing. Confusion is normally at its highest here, the initial contact. Of course, as you can imagine. Some may not know why they're being taken. Most do, especially the ones that have committed a crime. But I think the scariest part is the atmosphere. And the fact that you don't know what's going to happen next. Before an interpreter comes to the line, meaning before I show up, keep in mind that they don't speak English. Most not at all. So that justifies the type of confusion you would feel being taken in. So the first thing I do is normally introduce myself so the subject can feel at ease. Then would be advising of rights, if not done already. And before this interview even happens, normally the officer in charge would give me a briefing on what's going on, what happened, and what we're about to do. And sometimes there's not enough time. So I have to react as the conditions or as the conversation goes along. Within the first couple of minutes, they'll know why they're being taken. Either arrested or whatever the case might be. Then, of course, comes the legal formalities. For instance, being under arrest, your regular rights, versus not being under arrest. It's a big difference. A witness to a crime is questioned differently than an arrested individual suspected of the crime. This isn't law school, so we're not going to drown ourselves in these formalities. But I'm going to be more practical instead. And it wasn't language. It was geography. Why? Because if someone overstayed a visa, that's easy. There's not too much geography involved. Where did you fly from? Where did you land? Where was your port of entry? Problem solved. So overstaying a visa is one world. Coming here without one, that's a different world. When I first got this job, I watched a documentary on YouTube. In Chinese, it's called Zhou Xian. English directly translated as walking the line. It's slang for crossing to America illegally during this present time period. That makes sense. And what hit me wasn't the politics or anything like that, but the logistics. The sheer distance.

SPEAKER_00 5:08

The number of places, borders, and potential risks involved.

Social Media Maps The Journey

The Land Route Explained

Through The Darien To Mexico

Hearing Trauma In Real Time

Comfort In A Familiar Voice

Accents Under Stress

Arrests Are The Most Intense

ICE, CBP, And HSI Clarified

First HSI Assignment Lessons

SPEAKER_01 5:16

They often fly to a third country for tourism or whatever reason. And then they keep moving. So let me share something interesting with you because this is all over Chinese social media. How do you think undocumented Chinese migrants get here? Yes, specifically the Chinese. Potentially, all you have to do is look presentable enough and have enough savings to convince an officer that you're a tourist and not trying to come here permanently. But of course, people talk about it like it's that easy. It's not. It'll probably get harder. And then, of course, there's the not so dignified way of getting here. I'm not making this up either. Even though I can share details, but you can see this all over YouTube how people cross into South America on the land route, or somehow end up in Saipan and Guam through what is called a C route. And how do they learn this? Yeah? Chinese social media. There's step-by-step content on how to come here and what to do after you get here. It's ridiculous. So let's talk about the most popular one, the land route. Also the most recent and less dignified alternative. Because the land route means that you had to trek through the majority of South America. Most would fly into a third country that doesn't require a visa or a Chinese visa. For instance, Ecuador. From there, you could be picked up and then you start your journey. What do I mean by you could be picked up? That's if you paid a snakehead well. You get a quote unquote guide and maybe rides for part of it. If not, then you could be on your own. Just keep in mind that it's a slang for Chinese smugglers, specifically. Why specific to China? Because in Mexico, the term for these smugglers are called coyotes instead. It's just a cultural difference. Now, anyways, that hike can take weeks or even months, depending on factors like weather, border patrol, and sometimes cartels. And from Ecuador, they go to Colombia, cross the notorious Darien Gap, which is essentially a damned jungle. Then they end up in Panama. It doesn't end there. Because after you cross into countries like Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, and if you're lucky, you finally end up safe and sound somewhere in Mexico. Yes, so after all that, after trekking through so many places, going thousands of miles, you haven't even crossed the border yet. The most dangerous part is still to come. And unfortunately, not everyone survives this journey. I'm not here to be anyone's guide, obviously, but I'm here to share with you what it feels like when they describe it in their own words. Because hearing it in person is different than watching it on the screen. And the part that stays with me in human detail is that when somebody describes it, you inhale all that emotion. Just like listen to a podcast. A very good one. Emotions can speak. I'm sure you all agree with me. Intakes can be rather emotional for all parties. And here's something that surprised me early on. Sometimes my voice, just hearing their own native tongue, seems to offer a certain level of comfort. Not because I'm saving them, but because it's the first familiar thing they've heard in hours, sometimes days. And under these circumstances, emotionally they don't hold back from speaking their mind. Even if under arrest. They tend to share their emotions and their story vividly. And as a professional interpreter, that's when I realized the next skill I needed to master wasn't only vocabulary, wasn't just geography, but it was the ability to understand accents under stress. That goes for both parties. The difference between a southern accent and a northern accent, even in the United States, can be unclear at times. So keep in mind, China isn't just one Chinese. Mandar is but one of multiple major language groups, dozens of regional dialects, and endless local accents. I understand a few, the popular ones. Most I don't. Incomprehensible. So when someone is panicking, tired, crying, or asking ridiculous questions, it gets harder to comprehend. By the time I pick up the call, I'm first briefed on the shape of the situation, like I said before. Is this an arrest? Is this a witness? Intake? Is it an interview? The most intense calls are always the new arrests. Because everything's happening so fast and people are still trying to understand what reality they're in. Now, quick breakdown because the news confuses people. When Americans say ICE, this means enforcement. That's but one part. You can also hear about CBP, which stands for Custom and Border Protection. They're in charge of the border while ICE is in charge of enforcement within borders. Make sense? And then you hear about HSI. Their investigations are with the intelligence side. It stands for human human. It stands for Homeland Security Investigations. Different missions, different vibes, different situations. But for me, no matter who's in the room, my job doesn't change. Accuracy. That's it. And I remember very clearly my first assignment. I was fortunate enough to work directly with Whole Master Investigations or HSI on apprehension. I was nervous. I wasn't sure what to expect. And it was my first time honestly working with law enforcement on the front line. The questioning part was easy. Asking detail about their journey here, reason for staying, and what they've been through. Even why they're afraid to return. The hard part at the time was mainly the vocabulary and the paperwork. I had to read off a lot of paperwork to serve a simple arrest. Words like removal proceedings, adjustment of status, order removal asylum, credible fear interview. They were all distant or unfamiliar in my vocabulary. And I'm not gonna lie, before working with them, I didn't have a very positive image either. Probably from the news. But on my first assignment, one thing changed my mind. The agent asked, Are you hungry? I have a sandwich here for you if you want. Not some cinematic moment, just human. Because the subject had not eaten for hours or even days. Did they have to?

SPEAKER_00 15:34

No. But they did.

SPEAKER_01 15:39

And in case you were wondering, yes, officers and agents do see us as part of the team. They know that we go through the same tedious background checks in order to work. And it isn't always business. Sometimes there's small talk in between when we hear something ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 16:02

Even after the assignment, we chat for a bit. Asking about each other's jobs. And even thanking each other for our services.

Vocabulary And Paperwork Hurdles

Small Acts Of Humanity

SPEAKER_01 16:18

And the question I get the most often is do and can I show bias? And if so, could that make an effect on the outcome? And if so, could that have an effect on the outcome? Yeah, I'd be lying to say that I'm not biased at times. Even though it doesn't affect my accuracy in translation, but emotionally I do have an offset balance. And I'd be lying if I told you I didn't. At times, I do feel pity for some of the illegal immigrants that ended up here, what they had to go through. And at times, I get upset at these suspected criminals that smuggle them over. You get what I mean? One, you're dealing with an illegal immigrant who could be a good citizen, with no other criminal records, perhaps. And on the other hand, you're dealing with a criminal. So if it were you, how would you not show bias emotionally to yourself? How is that even possible? It's not. Nobody expects you to. Not even the officers. Because even they would show some bias if they hear some weird ass story, right?

SPEAKER_00 17:44

They hear some bullshit. And that's sometimes the case too. Some things I hear I know are full of shit.

Teamwork And Trust

Bias, Honesty, And Restraint

SPEAKER_01 17:59

You get me? Because I'm really Chinese. I understand the culture well enough to know when somebody's full of shit. I've been doing business in China for decades. I dealt with all sorts of people, government officials, everything. So I kind of know exactly what they care about, what they don't. So emotionally, when I feel like someone's making up a story just to stay here, yes, it does bother me. And it also does bother me that I can't express how I feel or have any judgment over this. But that's the game. But see, here's the thing. Because my feelings are one thing, putting that into work is another. My job is to carry the words exactly as they are, because precision protects everyone in the room, including the person you may not like. So there you have it. This is what happens during first contact. Very emotional, tends to have the highest level of uncertainty in terms of what to expect next. Now, where did it go after? That's the topic for our next segment. The long wait. This is Uncle Wong. Thank you for tuning in. Join me next week for our next episode of Listening Under Ice.