As we near the end of the quarter, Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands has come up as a reading. It has definitely been one of the more unique literary works that I have read in my life, and also one of the more difficult ones to read through simply due to the fact that Anzaldua cycles through English and Spanish at a moment’s notice. To those like myself who don’t speak Spanish, it’s a slow read, with the need to stop and translate most of the phrases to be able to see what the author is saying.
Did Anzaldua write Borderlands this way just to make it difficult to read for those who don’t speak Spanish? Although it may seem like it, it’s most definitely not the case. A key part of her message throughout the book is the idea of being caught in the borderlands: an area that is not part of the US or Mexico, essentially a constant state of limbo in between two nations. Those living in these borderlands find themselves stuck between two cultures, and Anzaldua shows exactly what that is like by going back and forth between English and Spanish. By doing so, she passes the burden of confusion onto the reader, offering a glimpse into the experience of the chicanos who live through it first hand.
Since 1904, there has been an effort by the United States to stop illegal immigration from happening at the border (CBP). Federal agents known as Mounted Guards operated along out of El Paso Texas, patrolling the same “flatlands of the magic valley of South Texas” that Anzaldua describes (Anzaldua 24). Anzaldua talks about the “coyotes” who collect thousands of dollars from Mexicans looking to cross into America in search of economic freedom. She tells the story of the “mojados” who cross the Rio Grande, about the women who are exploited by those who help them cross the border, and of the workers who work in dangerous conditions, scared to be deported back.
As intense as the struggles of these people are, there is an equally intense push by people in this country to stop these people from coming in. On one hand, the Mexican economy is in tatters, and these immigrants are simply fleeing to improve their lives. On the other hand, many legal citizens feel strongly about immigrants coming in illegally without having to go through the same processes they had to. As such, we have seen a large push in politics recently, with candidates taking hardline stances against illegal immigration, most notably being the President’s plan to build a wall along the border.
Throughout the quarter, this blog has been tracing technology and its effect on empire. With technology being almost infinitely greater than it was in 1904, the border is being guarded much more closely. New technology being deployed is improving security at the border, which at the surface appears to be good for America. However, looking deeper at these new methods shows that expanded use may tear away at the very fabric the American empire was founded on.
With heavier strides being made in an attempt to curb illegal immigration, private sector companies have been developing new tech to help Border Patrol stop crossers. Anduril Industries is one of those companies and has developed “towers that feature a laser-enhanced camera, radar and a communications system” that scan a two mile radius and use “artificial intelligence to pick out humans from wildlife and other moving objects” (The Guardian). Elbit Systems, another player in the space, has built “dozens of towers” in Arizona that can identify people from “as far as 7.5 miles away” (The Guardian). These new technologies only result in migrants using riskier methods to cross into the US, making the already dangerous journey even more treacherous.
Moving past the border, there are thousands of undocumented people living throughout the United States. These undocumented migrants are inherently frightful of deportation, but Mexican women are especially vulnerable, as Anzaldua talks about. These “mojadas” live in constant economic fear. They take low levels jobs while “American employers are quick to take advantage of her helplessness” (34). As some Americans rail against illegal immigration, and take up a (in their eyes) noble cause, almost all are not privy to the struggles of these women. They work harder than anyone, with nothing but a chance at opportunity in a new country to show for it. However, for every hardworking “mojada” struggling to make it in a new country, there are countless more who have been harmed by the very smugglers they hired. As Anzaldua explains, “Often [the smuggler] rapes her or sells her into prostitution” (34). These women put their lives on the line to come to los Estados Unidos, and generic anti-immigrant fervor does not give them justice.
As part of plans influenced by the President, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been using new methods to find and deport undocumented people living in the US. In March of this year, ICE was found to have used Facebook data to track people the agency suspected of being undocumented (Fortune). ICE also met with Amazon to discuss implementation of a facial-recognition system that would track people’s faces and help the agency identify and target immigrants (Washington Post). These efforts by ICE have disregarded privacy of Americans in a laser-focused goal to deport the undocumented.
Americans want security in their nation, but at what cost has that come at? With these Big Brother-esque methods being used by ICE to find immigrants, privacy of Americans is being compromised as well. Americans are guaranteed the right to privacy through the Constitution, and the evolution of technology has only resulted in the destruction of the rights of Americans. Whether it be the PATRIOT Act, the NSA, and more national security measures, the privacy of Americans has been under siege.
While these technologies being used against those crossing the border may not seem like a big deal, it only opens the door to these same technologies being used against Americans in the future. America was founded and grown on preserving the rights of its citizens. As rights are taken away, what has made the American empire great fades, and with it the empire fades too.
Works Cited:
Anzaldúa Gloria. Borderlands = La Frontera: the New Mestiza. Aunt Lute Books., 2012.
“Border Patrol History.” Remembering Two 9/11s | U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP, http://www.cbp.gov/border-security/along-us-borders/history.
“ICE Reportedly Uses Facebook Data to Track Suspected Illegal Immigrants.” Fortune, Fortune, fortune.com/2018/03/27/facebook-data-ice-immigrants-deport/.
Harwell, Drew. “Amazon Met with ICE Officials over Facial-Recognition System That Could Identify Immigrants.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 23 Oct. 2018, http://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/10/23/amazon-met-with-ice-officials-over-facial-recognition-system-that-could-identify-immigrants/?utm_term=.cbaa496a33f3.
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