Ear Hustle – Revisiting “Future on Ice”

Podcast: Ear Hustle (Radiotopia)
Episode Date: August 21, 2025
Summary prepared by podcast summarizer

Episode Overview

This “Sleeper Hits” episode of Ear Hustle revisits the powerful 2018 episode “Future on Ice,” which explores the intersection of immigration, incarceration, and identity inside American prisons. Hosts Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods, joined by collaborators Anita Rao and Shubnum, listen back to the episode and reflect on how its themes of citizenship, deportation, and belonging remain urgent. The episode weaves the stories of several incarcerated immigrants—from first harrowing crossings to deportation limbo—shedding light on the unique challenges they face, both behind bars and upon release.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

On the Road with Ear Hustle (00:33–02:28)

• The hosts record intro and post-listening segments in a car while touring for Ear Hustle’s live roadshow, discussing recent performances in women's prisons.*
• Anita Rao outlines her role as managing producer: “I handle a lot of what goes on outside of the audio production...events and logistics, collaborations...cat herding.” (*01:36)

The Sleeper Hit: “Future on Ice” (02:28–03:44)

• Anita Rao selects “Future on Ice” for its ongoing relevance, given shifts in ICE funding and immigration policy.

Life as an Immigrant in Prison (04:04–23:14)

• Martin Gomez (via translator, Miguel C. Fuentes) recounts first crossing the US-Mexico border at age 15:

  • “His group was told two things. Run as fast as you can and if you get caught, don't tell them who the coyote is...The Border Patrol comes out of nowhere on motorcycles and horseback. Like a movie, like Braveheart or something.” (04:04)

• David Josse (Jassy) shares arriving from Sweden as a music producer, then being incarcerated for second-degree murder:

  • "I came to America to fulfill my dream, and now I'm sitting in an interview on a murder charge. It's overwhelming. It's just too shocking..." (09:21)
  • Cultural confusion and fear at being designated a racial identity (“black”) for the first time, a distinction not made in Sweden.
  • "When you first get to jail...the first question: What are you housed as? Black, white, other, Asian? ...I'd never heard that before in my life." (12:32)
  • Humorous moment: When asked “Where you from?” by gang members, Jassy replies, “Europe,” confusing everyone and defusing tension.

• Pun (aka Sane/Pun) recounts fleeing the Khmer Rouge as a child, time in a Thai refugee camp, resettlement in Utah, and then Long Beach, CA—where he joined a gang out of self-protection, ultimately leading to his incarceration.

  • "Now it's city life, now it's gang life. Now it's fast-paced place. And the people was different." (17:30)
  • Explains the protective value and cultural misunderstanding of his “killing fields” neck tattoo:
    • “Having this tattoo...almost served me as a protection piece from other races. Whites, blacks, Mexicans...they're going to see it as potentially a threat, someone they don't want to mess with.” (23:45)

The High Stakes of Citizenship and Deportation (24:49–27:51)

• Pun reveals the deeper cost of not being a US citizen—automatic deportation risk after serving a sentence:
  • "When you come to prison, being a citizen doesn't matter...that's the last thing on their mind." (25:01–25:10)
  • Fears of returning to Cambodia, a country he left as a child and barely remembers:
    • "A whole lot of nothing. Because family members that I left behind, I don't know them...that's a scary feeling." (27:08–27:51)
• Wayne Boatwright, another incarcerated voice, upholds the sanctity of citizenship—regardless of background:
  • “If you’re a resident and you commit a felony and not a citizen, we can deport you. And I’m fine with that...I consider citizenship sacred.” (26:08)

The Limbo of ICE Detention & Post-Release (28:21–38:34)

• PJ Bori details his journey as a refugee child, prison time, and the trauma of ICE detention—“like a dog cage van”—right after being paroled:
  • “They shackled me right from head to toe....I walked 20ft a day, sitting on my bed most of the time. So my muscle was falling asleep....” (31:04–33:18)
  • Released from ICE detention only because Cambodia hasn’t accepted his deportation:
    • “I’m living in limbo. I’m waiting, see what’s going to happen next.” (33:39)
  • Only a state Governor’s pardon could secure his permission to stay.
• Marco Villa prepares for his own release and presumable deportation after 32 years in the US, seeing little point in legally contesting:
  • “I think it’s not worth it to take that risk.” (35:01–35:57)
• Pun expresses the personal dilemma:
  • “I want to be free...I’m not an American on paper, but I still feel like an American.” (36:28)

The Emotional Toll and Uncertainty of Deportation (38:28–39:11)

• David Josse reflects on the bittersweet prospect of reunion with his son in Sweden after deportation:
  • "It bothers me a lot because I have a lot of guilt for getting into this situation and to have him grown up without me." (37:32–38:28)
• For those with no strong connection to the supposed “home” country, the thought of deportation is even more terrifying.

Count Time: Letters Home (39:43–40:11)

• David Josse reads a moving letter to his son:
  • “Dear Son. I hope this letter reaches you in good health. I spilled some ink up on this paper just to see if you're well...But stay strong and get that education under your belt.” (39:43)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Race & Classification in Prison
  • “Everybody has to answer that question. And then you're housed by that.” – Earlonne Woods (13:20)
  • "In Sweden, they don't put you. What race do you belong to? I've never had that question in my whole life." – David Josse (13:42)
• On Belonging and Identity
  • "It was just a matter of I need to do this prison time in a way that works for me." – David Josse, on changing category to “Other” (23:00)
• On Limbo After Release
  • “You plan for that? I guess you don't. But this is when it finally matters in prison, if you're a citizen or not. The day you get out.” – Earlonne Woods (38:47)

Post-Episode Reflections (45:43–50:14)

Updates & Where Are They Now

• David Josse (Jassy): Deported to Sweden upon release; reunited with son and visited his father.
• Pun: Deported to Cambodia; update in the Ear Hustle newsletter describes challenges building a new life there.
• PJ Bori: Remains in the Bay Area, living in legal limbo, uncertain of future status.
• Wayne Boatwright: Believed to have been released.

Thematic Reflections

• Anita Rao: Highlights need for continued reporting on ICE detention, and points out the lack of accountability for US destabilization in other countries leading to forced migration:
  • “Our country...tends to not think about how we destabilize other countries, and...when those people are here, we just...want to throw them away.” (47:37)
• Shubnum: Observes the classic, “old school” Ear Hustle structure and the importance of “count time” segments for their emotional resonance.
• Anita Rao: As an immigrant herself, relates to the subtle alienation and naïve questions from Americans about being foreign:
  • “It was such a weird feeling to realize that many Americans aren't familiar with the rest of the world in the same way that the rest of the world is familiar with America.” (49:00)

Key Segments (selected timestamps)

• Border Crossing Story: 04:04
• Racial Classification in Prison: 12:32, 13:42
• Gang Life & Identity (Pun): 16:07–18:35
• Tattoo and Symbolism: 23:30–23:46
• Deportation Fears (Pun): 25:01, 27:08
• ICE Detention Experience (PJ): 31:04–33:18
• Decision to Contest/Not Contest Deportation: 35:01–35:57
• Letter to Son (Count Time): 39:43

Tone & Originality

The episode blends humor, candor, and sadness, guided by real voices and in-prison conversations. Earlonne and Nigel’s rapport keeps the discussion grounded and honest. The stories are by turns funny and heartbreaking, each revealing the lived consequences of abstract policy.

Final Takeaway

“Future on Ice” offers a deeply human perspective on how incarceration and immigration policy collide, showing the ripple effects of deportation—often to countries that have become foreign—while raising critical questions about citizenship, belonging, and identity. The 2025 revisit by the hosts adds perspective, emphasizing that these challenges—of limbo, loss, and an uneasy American belonging—remain as relevant as ever.