This article brings forth a different aspect of temporality. Temporality is usually taken for what it is supposed to represent, a short time someplace such as an international student doing a semester or year abroad; or working in a different place for some time before moving on. Yet this article places temporality almost as a constant (in one case almost 20 years); but this temporal-constant is always at risk.
As undocumented migrants throughout the US live through anxiety and fear of “removal” (a euphemism for deportation), the author reminds us that “voluntary returns or removals” are nothing new, they are a continuation of US policy, mostly on Mexican migrants, to battle against those they view as enemies, yet at the same time as almost necessary to work as farm hands (as the bracero program so eloquently put it). At the same time, it painted a well-argued point about hos deportation affects entire communities, and does not just fall on the shoulders of the individual that is being deported. It affects communities because within these localities, there are many people with an undocumented status, but also people that have legal standing such as permanent residents and citizens are very much affected since family members, friends, and other acquaintances may not have the right “papeles”.
This uncertainty shapes how communities act and react on both sides of the border. Since the article was published a few years ago, it does not tackle, but does allude to the recent phenomenon of zero net migration from Mexico to the United States. Rising economic standards in Mexico, coupled with tougher routes into the US, as well as an increase in “removals” have in fact made Mexican migration to the US a statistical non-issue. This however is the total opposite of what is going on in the media, especially in this election cycle with the rise of Trump and an ethno-nationalism that has become dangerous.
What is it about Mexican migration that brings out this fear in people?
Is this zero net migration a new “normal” or will it be cyclical?
Die
Am 4. November 2016 um 10:27 Uhr
First of all, I would like to say how horribly spoiled I felt reading the article. Living with this feeling of security I have really is a luxury one is not aware of most of the time. Of course, nobody should be afraid of leaving their house, because they might be treated like criminals for wanting to live a good life and be deported, no matter where.
It’s not the same, but I have experienced how nation states (in my case Germany) exercise this in my eyes unjustified power through awarding or not awarding visa to people from less developed countries (in this case Ecuador). My German passport grants me entrance there, however, whenever I like and also staying there for a longer period of time or living there is possible without much difficulties. Ever since, I have been asking myself how this incredibly unequal system can be maintained.
What kind of arrogance is it to declare places forbidden to live in or simply to visit to some people?
Regarding the question what about Mexican migration generates this fear in the US. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that people tend to be afraid of “the other” and to need something or someone to channel all their fears into. Politicians know and use this distract people from other problems that they feel harder to explain or to solve and to get more power by making people feel safe again. Hasn’t it always been like that, see for example the Jews in Germany and their instrumentalization by Hitler?
In order to do so in the US politicians, especially populists like Trump, poke the omnipresent feeling of fear of “the other” and channel it into the most promising one, where the geographical proximity of Mexico plays into their hands. It is easy to make people believe it would be so simple and worthwhile for all of them to migrate to the USA, which is what the politicians would safe them from if the people gave them the power.
I guess it depends on the time frame one looks at, if zero net migration is the new normal or cyclical. To some extent this may also be decided in the coming election. However, given the fact that birth rates in the USA are also declining (https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article140454529/Wo-die-Welt-noch-kinderfreundlich-ist.html) there will come the point when they will need immigrants to keep the economy going. I’m sure they will come around then.
Am 4. November 2016 um 13:35 Uhr
After reading the paper, and based on my personal knowledge on the migration topic, I would say that the US Government is not so much driven by some sort of “fear” in their approach to the Mexican-immigrant issue as it is by a clear need for control over migrant population. As the author put it forward herself, the whole idea behind the dynamics of so-called “returns” and “removals” is not to take the generality of immigrants out of the US -which can be rendered as an impossible endeavor-, but to enforce an effective disciplinary mechanism that allows the State to regulate foreigners’ immigration status and activities within American soil which, in turn, would also benefit local markets due to the availability of cheap labor -if the members of this broad sector of the population keep their “illegal” quality, they would also be reluctant to demand labor rights and better wages. The problem at stake turns even more complex as one considers other policy and social ramifications, as could be the intensive drug and guns trafficking that takes place through the US-Mexican border. The latter clearly represents a sensitive issue for US authorities and it definitely plays a role in the tightening of law and police regulations along the border, not to mention the identification of the Mexican migrant population as “potential” participants in the aforementioned trading. Regarding the “zero net migration” phenomenon, I would argue that it will be a long-term issue as far as the social and economic conditions in Mexico keep improving. However, there are other aspects that also might influence the permanence of this trend, for example, the broader knowledge that Mexican public opinion has about the hardships faced by any Mexican citizen trying to go through the border illegally, which could work as a deterrent for potential immigrants.
Am 6. November 2016 um 10:22 Uhr
I think that what Jesus mentioned is an important factor when it comes to deportation: Seeing the Mexican migrant population as “potential” participants in drug and gun trafficking, might spur authorities’ efforts to curb migration. Surely, after 9/11 efforts to enhance security have been enhanced. However, I think that the racism that is inherent to US society, also plays an important role in current migration policies. Mainly, Latinos and black men are singled out by police officers. As with the example of Pedro, who was jailed for a minor infraction, and in many other cases which have dominated the headlines in the recent past, racial profiling is still a major problem in the US.
What I think is outrageous is the fact that in the process of deportation, families are separated. (Mexican) migrants have to live in constant fear of being deported on the one hand, and of being separated from a loved one on the other hand. The fear of being caught and sent back is a constant “companion” of migrants. How can you live a normal life if you must always fear that you might be deported? As one of the interviewees said, it is destructive.
I also think that it depends on the time frame. Zero net migration could become a new “normal”, however, external factors will ultimately determine what the future holds. Certainly, the outcome of the presidential election will have an impact on future migration. This could change, however, in a few years’ time.
Am 6. November 2016 um 18:34 Uhr
First, I accord with my colleges that the aspect of drug and guns trafficking plays an essential role in terms of migration policies. The U.S. Government fears the rise of illicit trade with migrants from Mexico. The ongoing drug and guns trafficking combined with the fear of terrorist attacks that has risen out of 9/11 led to a general increase of border controls and makes it more difficult for immigrants to cross the border.
Even if they are crossing the border they are living with the permanent fear of being deported at any time. For me it is impossible to imagine how they can build up a new life in the USA under this permanent pressure.
In relation to zero net migration, it’s difficult to foresee the evolution. The phenomenon of zero net migration depends on the future development of Mexico and on the political future of the USA. If the positive economic evolution goes on in Mexico, it’s possible that the migration to the USA is going to decrease. But external effects like economic or financial crises can lead to different evolution of the migration phenomenon. So the evolution depends, besides the internal effects, on external effects which are hard to regulate.
Am 6. November 2016 um 18:41 Uhr
It was really interesting and simultaneously hard to read about the destinies of the Mexican people. For me, it is really inconceivable to live a life in constant fear and mistrust or to have to leave a place you call home after you lived there for decades. I would have found it interesting to read about the opinions of the U.S. people, maybe some friends or neighbors of the Mexican migrants and how they see the situation and risks and chances of the migration. To answer the question about the fear in people of the Migration it would have been constructive and could have opened another point of view.
I also find the point about im/ migration control in form of policy making and to tighten up laws very important, just like Jesus wrote. After 9/11 the government had to act to calm down the population´s fear of terrorist attacks and they tried it by controlling over illegal immigrations and foreigners as a whole. But this on the other hand also pokes fear and prejudices by the U.S. population. Also the government often has interest in investigating people also for economy and financial reasons and the illegal migration is a legitimitation for doing so.
Am 9. December 2016 um 14:14 Uhr
This text emphasises the un/certainty, im/permanence and un/ predictability of the (un)authorized migration showing that migrants will always remain deportable.
Indeed my colleagues mentioned an important point: migration is both a foreign and a national policy issue. Migration can be fostered or regulated by the states (in this case the US state) according to their necessities and/ or the events (the need to implement a climate of security after 9-11 for instance).
This text made me think that the idea of a nation is always built on the creation of a common enemy. The fear of Mexican migration is a tool, such as any other fear of the migrant that enables gathering people into a community (in Europe extremist right-wing parties use the same tool). Migrants can be erased from the community in one second (such as Felipe for instance), some are considered as “aliens”, and their future depend on a confused and arbitrary decision of the legal forces.
The recent campaign of Trump was built on fear as a political tool and apparently worked. He wants to go further the zero net migration by building a bigger wall which retrogrades US citizens to the Cold War era ..
Am 23. December 2016 um 14:46 Uhr
The reports of Felipe, Daniel or Pedro told in the text made me really think about the terrible life situation of some people in the world and made me “check my privileges” as EU citizen being able to travel and work all around the world without living in a constantly feeling of uncertainty and insecurity. I do believe that to deny the possibility of a better future to people living in really hard situations is a disgusting fact of our present policy, in US or in EU. That’s a fact that really dehumanize us and goes against feelings that in my opinion should be spontaneous like solidarity and empathy towards the “other”.
I think that it is important to underline the consequences and the psychological state that evokes a deportation like the void of future, the dead-end of return that waits for migrants in their homeland (Boehm 354): normal Mexican workers in the US became cartels drug dealers after been deported in Mexico. I cannot imagine how strong and determined Mexicans (even children) can be to survive in a continuously state of risk of deportability that annihilates all their everyday life and it makes them scared even to go to a grocery store (as Daniel states in the text 356). To all this, I would add also the separation of family members that deportation cause that has to be shocking and extremely hard to accept.
Regarding the feeling of fear that some migrants can generates, I agree with some of the comments above: fear and anger are typical policy instruments to create a “scapegoat” identifying it in some people, like in Mexicans in the US, in Arabic/Muslim migrants in the EU etc. This is an easy and efficient way in order to distract citizens from the humanitarian crisis; that happened in all the history and nowadays especially in populist governments (Le Pen, Trump etc).
In the case of US policy, of course the facts of 9/11 combined with gun and drug illegal cartels are one of the main reasons of high border controls and I think this plays also a big role in the racial identification/ categorization of Mexicans in a lot of US citizens.
What zero net migration concerns, I agree with the colleagues that it depends on future policy’s decision and that it is hard to say if it is a temporary or a long-term phenomenon.