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The Shocking Truth Behind the 2021 Border Crisis with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Lenore Hackenyos | S.O.S. #232
S.O.S. (Stories of Service) - Ordinary people who do extraordinary work
Manage episode 514240580 series 3512165
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Headlines rarely match the ground truth. We sit down with retired Lt Col Lenore Hakinos to unpack what it took to stand up Camp Delphi in Donna, Texas during the 2021 surge of unaccompanied minors. As a joint planner with deep logistics and emergency management experience, Lenore helped build an expeditionary base camp—dorms, medical intake, process flow—all under HHS leadership with ORR and FEMA in support. What she found was a system designed for care but strained by scale: no biometrics at intake, thin sponsor vetting, rotating leaders, and case managers overwhelmed by tens of thousands of children needing placement.
We walk through how federal roles actually worked on the ground, why intake relied on paper notes and consulate calls, and the risks that come with speed without verification. From “recycled” identities to a transitory school built for kids who were supposed to stay mere weeks, the picture is complex and deeply human. Lenore’s team imposed order where they could—stop‑movement censuses, daily reconciliations—but the bigger tension remained: how to balance humanitarian urgency with anti‑trafficking safeguards and accountability that follows a child beyond the tent line.
The conversation doesn’t stop at the border. After retiring, Lenore channeled that same mission mindset into the American Legion, reviving a local post, supporting veterans’ services, creating scholarships, and rebuilding community traditions in a rapidly growing Texas county. It’s a reminder that while national policy can feel distant, local service is always within reach. Listen for a candid, expert look at HHS, ORR, FEMA coordination, migrant child placement, logistics under pressure, and what it means to serve when duty meets doubt—and stay for practical hope about building strong communities.
If this resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who cares about border policy, child safety, and real‑world public service.
Visit my website: https://thehello.llc/THERESACARPENTER
Read my writings on my blog: https://www.theresatapestries.com/
Listen to other episodes on my podcast: https://storiesofservice.buzzsprout.com
Watch episodes of my podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheresaCarpenter76
Chapters
1. Welcome And Guest Introduction (00:00:00)
2. Lenore’s Military Path And Why She Joined (00:01:19)
3. Joint Enabling Capabilities Command Explained (00:05:22)
4. Choosing The Border Mission (00:09:50)
5. COVID Response And Mission Setups (00:12:18)
6. Who Leads: HHS, ORR, And FEMA (00:16:45)
7. Building Camp Delphi And First Arrivals (00:19:30)
8. Intake Without Biometrics And Vetting Gaps (00:22:40)
9. Sponsor System Risks And Trafficking Concerns (00:26:35)
10. Overwhelmed Case Management And Rotating Leaders (00:30:15)
11. Counting Children And Process Chaos (00:33:05)
12. Ethics, Policy, And Law‑And‑Order Debate (00:36:40)
13. Transition To Community Service And The Legion (00:40:20)
14. Building A Post And Serving Locally (00:45:10)
15. Final Reflections And Close (00:49:00)
242 episodes
