The Shocking Truth Behind the 2021 Border Crisis with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Lenore Hackenyos
In this powerful episode of Stories of Service, host Theresa Carpenter sits down with Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Lenore Hackenyos, a U.S. Air Force Reserve officer whose decades of leadership in logistics, emergency management, and joint operations gave her a front-row seat to one of the most controversial humanitarian missions in recent history — the 2021 border crisis.
While most Americans saw only headlines about overcrowded migrant camps and political battles, Lenore lived the story from the inside. Deployed to Donna, Texas, during Operation Artemis, she worked alongside FEMA, Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) as thousands of unaccompanied minors were processed through makeshift facilities.
What she witnessed — the confusion, the breakdowns in accountability, and the heartbreaking vulnerability of children — sheds light on the immense complexity behind America’s immigration challenges.
“We were told we’d be supporting unaccompanied children,” Lenore recalls. “But once we arrived, it became clear that the systems in place were overwhelmed and often unprepared for the scale of what was happening.”
GUEST BIO: WHO IS LENORE HACKENYOS
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Lenore Hackenyos is a U.S. Air Force Reserve veteran with nearly 30 years of service in logistics, joint operations, and humanitarian response. A former Commander of the 111th Logistics Readiness Squadron, she later served as a Joint Planner with the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command (JECC), contributing to operations including COVID-19 medical response and Operation Artemis during the 2021 border crisis.
She has also worked with FEMA, developing and executing emergency management strategies to support federal crisis response. Today, she continues her mission of service as Commander of American Legion Post 380 in Texas and as a Veterans Program Manager, dedicated to improving the lives of homeless and at-risk veterans.
A Career Built on Service and Systems
Lenore Hackenyos joined the U.S. Air Force in 1987 in Norfolk, Virginia — initially drawn by adventure and the hope of returning to Germany, where her husband had once served. What began as a simple enlistment turned into a 30-year military career that spanned continents, commands, and crises.
After rising through the enlisted ranks to E-5, she earned a commission as an officer in 2002, eventually commanding the 111th Logistics Readiness Squadron and serving as a Joint Staff Planner with the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command (JECC). Her expertise in logistics made her a critical player in operations supporting U.S. Transportation Command, Department of Health and Human Services, and combatant commands across the globe.
Her deployments included high-tempo humanitarian and support operations — from COVID-19 response efforts in 2020, when military teams raced to build medical task forces nationwide, to the border mission in 2021, which would become one of her most defining and eye-opening experiences.
Inside the 2021 Border Mission
When the border crisis escalated in early 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services struggled to manage the flood of unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the southern border. To help stabilize the situation, FEMA and military planners from JECC were called in to coordinate logistics and rapid infrastructure development.
Lenore was deployed to Camp Delphi, near Donna, Texas, to help stand up an expeditionary base camp that would soon house over 1,500 minors. Drawing from her emergency management background — including her time at FEMA — she helped organize the planning structure and streamline operations between agencies.
But what she encountered on the ground stunned her.
“We were told these were unaccompanied minors — and of course, your heart goes out to them,” she said. “But when the buses started coming, I realized there was little verification, no biometrics, and minimal vetting of sponsors. Children were being handed off with handwritten notes or paper birth certificates — and sometimes to people no one had properly verified.”
Children arrived exhausted, carrying only scraps of paper with names and phone numbers of supposed relatives or sponsors. The system designed to protect them was understaffed and overrun.
“Sometimes young volunteers would call a consulate to verify a child’s identity,” Lenore said. “If someone on the other end said yes, that was considered a valid check. That was it. It was devastating to realize how fragile this process was.”
Over 12 temporary sites were set up along the border in Texas, Arizona, and California, but according to Lenore, the volume of children far exceeded the system’s ability to safely track and reunite them.
“We talked about 50,000 children coming through. My question was — where were the 50,000 parents?”
From Service to Advocacy
After retiring from the Air Force Reserve, Lenore continued her life of service as a Veterans Program Manager, creating housing and employment opportunities for homeless veterans. Today, she leads as Commander of American Legion Post 380 in Texas, mentoring younger veterans and strengthening community resilience.
Her commitment to people — whether they are fellow service members, refugees, or local citizens — reflects a guiding principle that runs throughout her story: compassion with accountability.
“You can have a heart for service and still demand better systems,” she says. “That’s how we protect the innocent — by making sure the people responsible for them have the tools, oversight, and integrity to do the job right.”
WATCH FULL EPISODE HERE
🔑Key Takeaways
Systems Matter in Crises – The 2021 border operation revealed how even well-intentioned humanitarian efforts can falter without robust coordination, vetting, and accountability.
Unaccompanied Doesn’t Mean Unnoticed – Many children arrived with little documentation, highlighting urgent needs for biometrics and interagency communication.
Reservists Bring Hidden Strengths – Lenore emphasized how reservists’ civilian careers—from nursing to education—add immense value to complex missions.
Service Extends Beyond Uniforms – Her work with veterans and local communities shows how leadership and compassion can endure long after retirement.
Transparency Protects Everyone – True humanitarianism requires both empathy and scrutiny to ensure those in need aren’t exploited in bureaucratic or political confusion.
Why This Conversation Matters
Lenore’s story is not a political statement — it’s a firsthand account from a career military officer who saw the gap between policy and reality. Her experience underscores the importance of accountability, truth-telling, and ethical leadership in both military and civilian operations.
In a world where crises unfold faster than systems can adapt, voices like hers remind us that service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off — it just takes new forms.
🎙️ Listen to the full episode of Stories of Service with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Lenore Hackenyos — available now on all major podcast platforms.
