The unbearable ambiguity of the Border

Part of a special issue on immigration and boundary policing in an era of globalization. The writer discusses the abuses carried out by the Immigration and Naturalization Service along the U.S.-Mexican border. He examines the contextual dimension that fosters and sustains these abuses in order to un...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ortíz, Victor M. 1942- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2001
In: Social justice
Year: 2001, Volume: 28, Issue: 2, Pages: 96-112
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
United States. Immigration & Naturalization Service
Border patrols
Social History
Discrimination in criminal justice administration
United States > Emigration & immigration > Government policy
Law Enforcement
Description
Summary:Part of a special issue on immigration and boundary policing in an era of globalization. The writer discusses the abuses carried out by the Immigration and Naturalization Service along the U.S.-Mexican border. He examines the contextual dimension that fosters and sustains these abuses in order to understand the pervasive incongruent practices and representations connected to the border region. He offers various ethnographic reflections to demonstrate that the abuses do not happen only in regard to INS practices. He argues that economic and geopolitical developments such as xenophobia, the demographic growth of the Latino population, the maquiladora industry, and the North American Free Trade Agreement all influence the abuses.