EL PASO, Texas – With sleeping mats neatly stored away, shelter director Michael DeBruhl bowed his head alongside a few migrant families in prayer before breakfast.

For breakfast, they enjoyed eggs and black beans, oatmeal, and hot coffee. DeBruhl welcomed them with the Spanish language he mastered during his 26 years as a U.S. Border Patrol agent.

While migration along the U.S.-Mexico border is a deeply polarizing issue in America, DeBruhl has navigated both sides of the debate. He has handcuffed migrants and deported them, but also fed and sheltered them. He has personally reconciled the contentious discussion that continues to split the nation’s politics and families.

“Immigration is incredibly intricate,” he expressed to YSL News. “As a field agent, I grasped enforcement and the complexities of how people cross the border. But the higher you climb in the organization, the more clarity you gain on broader issues.”

DeBruhl started his career as an agent in 1989, patrolling the Rio Grande in Texas. Over nearly three decades, he ascended to chief patrol agent for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, joined the elite Border Patrol Tactical Unit, and held leadership roles in Washington, D.C.

“Nobody could ever label Michael as an out-of-touch person who doesn’t recognize the border’s risks,” stated Sami DiPasquale, whose organization ABARA runs border immersion programs, including visits with DeBruhl.

“People outside might be surprised to find a Border Patrol agent and chief doing this kind of work, but in El Paso, that’s not the case,” DiPasquale remarked. “We comprehend the complexity of the situation. It’s not simply one side being evil and the other side being virtuous. Michael’s life exemplifies why that notion is flawed.”

Describing himself as “a shorter guy,” DeBruhl had to have his Harley Davidson motorcycle customized so he could reach the ground. Those who know him find him to be both authoritative and caring.

“You look at Mike and wouldn’t guess, ‘This is someone who is cuddly and gentle,'” said Bri Stensrud, executive director of Women of Welcome, a conservative Christian organization that has visited the shelter. “We are conditioned to set individuals against one another and categorize them. It seems impossible to advocate for humane treatment of migrants while also supporting strict law enforcement ‒ yet Mike completely debunks these stereotypes.”

After departing from his role as an agent, many retired individuals transition to roles as investigators, national security advisors, or political commentators. DeBruhl officially retired at 55 in 2014, then worked as a Homeland Security contract investigator. He stepped back again when COVID-19 emerged.

Throughout this period, immigration politics in the country have been changing significantly.

“I kept hearing that everyone crossing the border is a criminal,” he recalled. “People said those coming to the U.S. were being released from mental institutions. We started to see children separated from their parents. I was deeply troubled by these narratives, particularly the inaccuracies propagated in the media.”

“These were ideas I couldn’t support,” he stated. “This wasn’t the America I grew up in.”

He decided to lend a hand at a nearby migrant shelter.

Transitioning from Border Patrol Agent to Migrant Assistance Worker

In December 2022, numerous migrants gathered outside Sacred Heart Catholic Church in downtown El Paso.

This church, located five blocks from the U.S.-Mexico border, became a refuge for displaced individuals from Nicaragua, Venezuela, and other countries seeking asylum, who had been processed and released by Border Patrol.

With cold weather setting in, children were left sleeping on cardboard outside. Father Rafael Garcia opened the church’s gymnasium as an emergency shelter – despite lacking staff, volunteers, supplies, or a clear plan. A mutual acquaintance working in migrant assistance suggested he reach out to DeBruhl.

DeBruhl’s last assignment as a Border Patrol agent involved coordinating a campaign in South Texas that united various agencies to tackle issues such as migrant smuggling, drug trafficking, and illegal transportation of firearms and money into Mexico.

He was well-versed in law enforcement operations, noting to U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Frontline magazine in 2014 how such campaigns utilize comprehensive resources from federal, state, and local entities. He articulated, “It’s the system functioning as intended; with interdictors, investigators, and prosecutors working together for a common goal.”

Agents in the Border Patrol often pride themselves on their logistical skills; it is a vital aspect of their work. The dynamics of migration can change rapidly. The status of arrivals, their conditions, and the situations surrounding them can fluctuate dramatically – sometimes within a single day.

When Garcia reached out for assistance, DeBruhl recognized that a humanitarian emergency was unfolding in his hometown, which greatly concerned him. He also looked at the situation from an agent’s perspective: as a logistical issue that needed resolution.

“There were 1,000 individuals outside,” DeBruhl remembered. “All the media outlets were present too. I was taken aback to find myself in the thick of it all.”

He sprang into action, ordering foldable camping mats that could be tucked away during the day to create play areas for children, cataloging a large donation of clothing into organized racks and shelves akin to a thrift shop, managing the kitchen to prepare meals, and coordinating volunteers to assist migrants in their onward journey.

His transition from agent to humanitarian worker has raised eyebrows among some of his former and current colleagues; however, others appreciate the drive to offer compassion.

“I can only speak to Mike’s decision,” commented Pete Hermansen, who spent 20 years in Border Patrol and was a leader alongside DeBruhl. “From my experience over those 22 years, about 87% of individuals crossing that border do so to improve their circumstances, while the remaining 13% are not welcomed. Helping that 87% is a commendable endeavor.”

A Significant Decrease in Migration Trends

DeBruhl takes great pride in his work with the Border Patrol. Yet upon retirement, he aimed to start afresh and intentionally distanced himself from former peers, choosing not to disclose his new endeavors.

He had a conversation with Garcia, the priest.

“When I spoke to the father about this, I mentioned, ‘I’m not doing this for any religious reason,’” DeBruhl recounted. “He replied, ‘I’m not entirely convinced of that.’”

Sacred Heart has offered accommodation or assistance to over 30,000 migrants since last December, according to Garcia, highlighting a significant wave of immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.

From December 2022 to July 2024, the CBP reported more than 936,000 interactions with migrants solely in the El Paso Sector. There were instances where encounters exceeded 50,000 monthly, causing shelters across the area to reach maximum capacity.

However, it seems this unprecedented wave is starting to decrease. In July, the number of migrant encounters in the El Paso Sector fell to below 12,000 for the first time since 2021, as reported by CBP, marking a decline observed throughout the entire U.S. southern border.

One late August morning, only a few dozen people were present for breakfast. Most planned to leave within a day or two, either to reunite with family across the U.S. or to start new lives on their own in cities like New York, Chicago, or Denver.

The majority had entered through a designated port of entry, using the CBP One mobile app to schedule their appointment to arrive in the United States. DeBruhl explains the changing border dynamics to curious visitors from the community, dedicating hours to engage with faith organizations and business leaders, hoping to leave a lasting impression.

“Reflecting on my experiences, I had a moment of clarity when I realized I was where I needed to be,” he expressed. “I possess a unique viewpoint that can contribute to the ongoing conversation about immigration policy. What aspects are we handling well? What areas require improvement? What dialogues are we having or neglecting? What facts are we adhering to or ignoring?”

Currently, the reality is that the declining number of incoming migrants does not warrant the continuation of the shelter’s operations, and DeBruhl intends to shut it down on October 7.