News stories about the U.S. southern border tend to tread the same polarizing paths. Republican versus Democrat. Urban versus rural. Newcomer versus longtimer.

But life at the border isn’t defined by those dichotomies, and journalists who know what it’s like to live near the border can explain complex dynamics at the border with authority.

San Antonio Express-News’ 2023 editorial series, “Political crisis at the border,” had that authority. Yes, there was the news peg of a leaked report that a woman had a miscarriage while caught in barbed wire. Yes, the national conversation before an election year was focused on immigration, and specifically the southern border.

But the ambitious, nuanced editorial series stands apart because each member of the editorial team had lived much of their life very close to the U.S.-Mexico border.

“As someone who grew up in Tucson,” said Josh Brodesky, opinion editor at the Express-News, “how the region is presented so often, I feel, conflicts with the reality of how people in the border region get along, and how people in the border region live.

“It’s difficult to convey, even for us, all the complexities and nuances to it politically, historically,” he said.

Telling a complicated story through many voices

This series turns what could have been a cookie-cutter immigration narrative on its head. The coverage starts near the Rio Grande and travels as far as New York City to explore Mayor Eric Adams’ policies.

We hoped to answer the question: Are asylum-seekers welcome in America? In Texas, they’re greeted with razor wire and orange buoys. Are they still welcome in New York City and other American cities?

The simple answer is, Americans are feeling less hospitable. The more complicated answer is, immigrants are caught in our nation’s vexing, policial discord over immigration. In a world of political posturing, razor wire and immigration surges, comprehensive immigration reform has never felt further away, yet more necessary.

There’s also the story of a property owner, a Republican, who had allowed the state to place border fencing on his property but later regretted it.

“We were very mindful about drawing in or elevating voices of people who live on the border,” Brodesky said.

The journalists interviewed Texas figures across the political spectrum, from Democratic U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro to Republican U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales.

Brodesky said it was important to layer in different perspectives, not only to show independence from political parties, but also to demonstrate the potential of a constructive national dialogue, as opposed to the ineffectual bickering often presented on cable news networks or social media.

“There were legitimate concerns and points being made by border region lawmakers and so that’s really where we’re coming at it from.”

‘Time moves forward, but border politics often remain the same’

A line in the piece stands out: “Time moves forward, but border politics often remain the same.” The reporters involved, who have lived near the border across administrations and policies, speak to this truism.

The editorials explain how different policies are at play simultaneously at the border. Brodesky said the team wanted to ensure they were not bothsides-ing it, but still looking critically at Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star and President Joe Biden’s policies.

“While Republicans blamed Biden for the rising numbers,” one editorial stated, “the truth is that while Biden might have changed the messaging tone from the White House, he did little to change immigration policy during his early months in office.”

The reelection of Donald Trump and his far-reaching policies around border fencing and mass deportation will further complicate the narrative, and the on-the-ground reality for people who live near the border.

“Hopefully a reader could appreciate the fact that we were open to pragmatic solutions that honored people’s humanity and also recognize some of the stressors that border communities are feeling at this time,” Brodesky said.

“Buoys and razor wire are not policies,” the initial editorial says. “They are political statements, made at great humanitarian cost. This is clear from the banks of the Rio Grande.”

For their impact on behalf of the community, resulting in change for the better, The San Antonio Express-News was awarded the inaugural Poynter Journalism Prize Burl Osborne Editorial and Opinion Award. Sponsored by The Dallas Morning News, the award comes with a $2,500 prize. Brodesky said a key member of this reporting team was copy editor Nancy Wilson. While Wilson was not named in the entry, she was an equal member of the team and was included in the prize money.

Read the series

• Editorial: In Eagle Pass, political ploys, not deterrents, line the border
• Editorial: What Joe Biden needs to say to the nation about the border, immigration
• Editorial: Texas’ border security bill doubles down on costly failure
• How Greg Abbott divided Democrats and redefined immigration in 2023 | Editorial