Race/Related: The obstacles to buying your first home

The rate of homeownership continues to lag among Black, Latino, Asian American and Native American people, compared with America’s white population. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~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)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0SyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM3JmVtYz1lZGl0X3JyXzIwMjQwMzE1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExNzYzOSZubD1yYWNlJTJGcmVsYXRlZCZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTYwODc3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0Qgpl4k849GV3NTLqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~)[Continue reading the main story](#) [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0SZaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MjA3NTgwJmxpPVJSJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1SUl8yMDI0MDMxNSZ0ZT0xJm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJmVtYz1lZGl0X3JyXzIwMjQwMzE1VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [Race/Related](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vc3BvdGxpZ2h0L3JhY2U_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzcmZW1jPWVkaXRfcnJfMjAyNDAzMTUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTE3NjM5Jm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjA4NzcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) March 15, 2024 [A man, in a black hat, black T-shirt and black pants, is standing between his mother, in a red T-shirt, and brother, wearing a cap, outside their ranch house on a sunny day. They are all smiling.] Alejandro Rodriguez, 25, joined with his mother and brother to buy their 1,500-square-foot home in Mesquite, Texas. Allison V. Smith for The New York Times Who gets to buy a home? [Author Headshot](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvbmlraXRhLXN0ZXdhcnQ_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzcmZW1jPWVkaXRfcnJfMjAyNDAzMTUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTE3NjM5Jm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjA4NzcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) By [Nikita Stewart](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvbmlraXRhLXN0ZXdhcnQ_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzcmZW1jPWVkaXRfcnJfMjAyNDAzMTUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTE3NjM5Jm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjA4NzcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) Every year, the Real Estate section of The New York Times tackles the subject of first-time home buying with all of the disappointments and joys that are associated with finally owning a house. For many Americans, a house is the biggest investment they will ever make. Their home is their biggest asset, paving the path to financial stability and even to generational wealth. But the rate of homeownership continues to lag among Black, Latino, Asian American and Native American people, compared with the country’s white population. As we developed stories that included [buying your childhood home](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMi8yNi9yZWFsZXN0YXRlL2J1eWluZy1jaGlsZGhvb2QtaG9tZXMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zNyZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ycl8yMDI0MDMxNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTc2Mzkmbmw9cmFjZSUyRnJlbGF0ZWQmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2MDg3NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZeJPOPRldzUy6lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) and [buying while single](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8wMS9yZWFsZXN0YXRlL3NpbmdsZS13b21lbi1ob21lb3duZXIuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zNyZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ycl8yMDI0MDMxNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTc2Mzkmbmw9cmFjZSUyRnJlbGF0ZWQmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2MDg3NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZeJPOPRldzUy6lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD), we were conscious of the imbalance of homeownership in the United States. In the past, the Real Estate desk has explored [racial bias in home appraisals](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wOC8xOC9yZWFsZXN0YXRlL2hvdXNpbmctZGlzY3JpbWluYXRpb24tbWFyeWxhbmQuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zNyZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ycl8yMDI0MDMxNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTc2Mzkmbmw9cmFjZSUyRnJlbGF0ZWQmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2MDg3NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZeJPOPRldzUy6lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) and the [discrimination Black real estate agents face](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0T0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wMS8xMi9yZWFsZXN0YXRlL2JsYWNrLXJlYWwtZXN0YXRlLWFnZW50cy1kaXNjcmltaW5hdGlvbi5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM3JmVtYz1lZGl0X3JyXzIwMjQwMzE1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExNzYzOSZubD1yYWNlJTJGcmVsYXRlZCZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTYwODc3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0Qgpl4k849GV3NTLqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~). For these most recent stories, Colette Coleman, a freelance reporter who contributes to The New York Times, found an optimistic trend in Latino homeownership. Speaking to the Urban Institute, a think tank, she learned that the homeownership rate among Hispanics increased more than any other demographic group between 2019 and 2022. The think tank estimated that an [overwhelming majority of net new homeowners](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP4QWAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnVyYmFuLm9yZy91cmJhbi13aXJlL251bWJlci1oaXNwYW5pYy1ob3VzZWhvbGRzLXdpbGwtc2t5cm9ja2V0LTIwNDAtaG93LWNhbi1ob3VzaW5nLWluZHVzdHJ5LXN1cHBvcnQtdGhlaXItbmVlZHM_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzcmZW1jPWVkaXRfcnJfMjAyNDAzMTUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTE3NjM5Jm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjA4NzcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) in the next 20 years will be Hispanic. Looking at the current market, Colette dug into a trend among Hispanic households: [co-borrowing to afford a mortgage](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMi8yOC9yZWFsZXN0YXRlL211bHRpZ2VuZXJhdGlvbmFsLWhvbWUtYnV5aW5nLWxhdGlub3MuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zNyZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ycl8yMDI0MDMxNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTc2Mzkmbmw9cmFjZSUyRnJlbGF0ZWQmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2MDg3NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZeJPOPRldzUy6lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) and pooling together resources to pay the mortgage. She talked to Danae Vega, who bought a home with her sister Ashley a year ago in San Bernardino County, Calif. Their whole family, including another sister, three brothers and their parents pitched in. In Las Vegas, Alexandra García and her father, Rosalio, bought a house for their family together, qualifying for a loan after she added her father, who is an auto mechanic, to her credit cards so that he could have an established credit history, they told Colette. [Randa Martin, stands at center, surrounded by four children in front of their new house. One of the children holds a picture of their father, who died before the house was finished.] Randa Martin and her partner, Richard Lebehn, first rented apartments on the Saint Regis Mohawk Reservation, but those quarters got uncomfortably tight as their four children grew older. Nancie Battaglia for The New York Times Other first-time homeowners are getting creative in other ways. Heather Senison, also a freelance reporter, traveled to the Saint Regis Mohawk Reservation in upstate New York to talk with [Randa Martin who had bought land on the reservation](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMi8yNy9yZWFsZXN0YXRlL255LWluZGlhbi1yZXNlcnZhdGlvbi1mZWRlcmFsLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzcmZW1jPWVkaXRfcnJfMjAyNDAzMTUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTE3NjM5Jm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjA4NzcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) from her aunt and had secured a mortgage through a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Randa’s story was bittersweet. She had applied with her longtime partner and father of her children, but he died suddenly of a heart attack as the loan was being processed. Grieving, Randa worried that her loan application would be denied because it was now based on a single income. But a loan officer from the local housing authority saw a notice of her partner’s death and redid the application on Ms. Martin’s behalf. The loan was for $198,000, and Ms. Martin and her four children have plenty of space, a welcomed change having lived in apartments. Heather learned that such loans on reservations are rare: Just 17 U.S.D.A. loans were borrowed by home buyers on reservations nationally, up from six in 2019, a spokesman for the Agriculture Department told her. [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-universal-0) ADVERTISEMENT [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0SZaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTc0MTQ5JmxpPVJSJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1SUl8yMDI0MDMxNSZ0ZT0xJm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJmVtYz1lZGl0X3JyXzIwMjQwMzE1VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) The two stories demonstrated the various barriers to homeownership and the ways people were able to overcome them. EDITORS’ PICKS We publish many articles that touch on race. Here are several you shouldn’t miss. [[A man in a hat and suit stands with a woman in a white sweater, skirt and a hat in front of two horses in a paddock area. ] Miriam Mathews Collection](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xNC91cy9zZHN1LWNvbGxlZ2UtZG9uYXRpb24tY2hpbmVzZS1pbW1pZ3JhbnRzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzcmZW1jPWVkaXRfcnJfMjAyNDAzMTUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTE3NjM5Jm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjA4NzcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [They Helped a Family Facing Discrimination 80 Years Ago. Now They’re Being Celebrated. In 1939, a Black couple rented a California home to a Chinese American family when others would not. Now, members of that family are donating house sale proceeds to Black students. By Amanda Holpuch](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xNC91cy9zZHN1LWNvbGxlZ2UtZG9uYXRpb24tY2hpbmVzZS1pbW1pZ3JhbnRzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzcmZW1jPWVkaXRfcnJfMjAyNDAzMTUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTE3NjM5Jm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjA4NzcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [[A stack of library books that are banned in several public schools and libraries, including “The Hate U Give,” “Two Boys Kissing,” and “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.”] Ted Shaffrey/Associated Press](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xNC9ib29rcy9ib29rLWJhbnMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zNyZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ycl8yMDI0MDMxNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTc2Mzkmbmw9cmFjZSUyRnJlbGF0ZWQmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2MDg3NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZeJPOPRldzUy6lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [Attempts to Ban Books Accelerated Last Year Book challenges around the country reached the highest levels ever recorded by a library organization. By Alexandra Alter](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xNC9ib29rcy9ib29rLWJhbnMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zNyZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ycl8yMDI0MDMxNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTc2Mzkmbmw9cmFjZSUyRnJlbGF0ZWQmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2MDg3NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZeJPOPRldzUy6lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [[A man in a black jacket sits on the front step of a porch in front of a house. He is holding one of his hands in another.] Jake Michaels for The New York Times](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0T3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xMy9tb3ZpZXMva29iaS1saWJpaS1hbWVyaWNhbi1zb2NpZXR5LW9mLW1hZ2ljYWwtbmVncm9lcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM3JmVtYz1lZGl0X3JyXzIwMjQwMzE1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExNzYzOSZubD1yYWNlJTJGcmVsYXRlZCZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTYwODc3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0Qgpl4k849GV3NTLqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) [Q. and A. With Humor, Kobi Libii Gives His Characters a Different Superpower The writer and director of “The American Society of Magical Negroes” has made a satire that may feel primed to be provocative. He responds to some of the discourse. By Christopher Kuo](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0T3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xMy9tb3ZpZXMva29iaS1saWJpaS1hbWVyaWNhbi1zb2NpZXR5LW9mLW1hZ2ljYWwtbmVncm9lcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTM3JmVtYz1lZGl0X3JyXzIwMjQwMzE1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTExNzYzOSZubD1yYWNlJTJGcmVsYXRlZCZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTYwODc3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0Qgpl4k849GV3NTLqUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) [[Red neon letters spell phrases and words including “must stop” and “fascist” and “capitalist hierarchies.”] Karsten Moran for The New York Times](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0T8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xNC9hcnRzL2Rlc2lnbi93aGl0bmV5LWJpZW5uaWFsLWFydC1wYWxlc3RpbmlhbnMtbWVzc2FnZS1nYXphLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzcmZW1jPWVkaXRfcnJfMjAyNDAzMTUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTE3NjM5Jm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjA4NzcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [In Whitney Biennial Artwork, a Message Reveals Itself: ‘Free Palestine’ Museum curators said they had been unaware that the artist Demian DinéYazhi’ included the message through the flickering letters of their neon installation. By Zachary Small](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0T8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xNC9hcnRzL2Rlc2lnbi93aGl0bmV5LWJpZW5uaWFsLWFydC1wYWxlc3RpbmlhbnMtbWVzc2FnZS1nYXphLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9MzcmZW1jPWVkaXRfcnJfMjAyNDAzMTUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTE3NjM5Jm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjA4NzcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) [[This color photo shows a small rubber dinghy being paddled through the dark by a shirtless man and carrying half a dozen passengers in life jackets. The boat is lit as if by a spotlight from outside the frame. Another small dinghy can be seen in the distance. ] John Moore/Getty Images](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xMy9ib29rcy9yZXZpZXcvc29sZGllcnMtYW5kLWtpbmdzLWphc29uLWRlLWxlb24uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zNyZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ycl8yMDI0MDMxNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTc2Mzkmbmw9cmFjZSUyRnJlbGF0ZWQmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2MDg3NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZeJPOPRldzUy6lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) [Nonfiction A Rare Inside Look at Human Smuggling on the Border In “Soldiers and Kings,” the anthropologist Jason De León interviews smugglers, arguing that they are victims of poverty and violence, even as they exploit the humans in their care. By Jennifer Szalai](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0TvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8xMy9ib29rcy9yZXZpZXcvc29sZGllcnMtYW5kLWtpbmdzLWphc29uLWRlLWxlb24uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD0zNyZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ycl8yMDI0MDMxNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMTc2Mzkmbmw9cmFjZSUyRnJlbGF0ZWQmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2MDg3NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKZeJPOPRldzUy6lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD)[Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-universal-0) ADVERTISEMENT [Ad](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRn1r1PP0SZaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MjA3NTc3JmxpPVJSJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1SUl8yMDI0MDMxNSZ0ZT0xJm5sPXJhY2UlMkZyZWxhdGVkJmVtYz1lZGl0X3JyXzIwMjQwMzE1VwNueXRCCmXiTzj0ZXc1MupSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) Invite your friends. 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