United States: Motive, Migrants & Money

Importance of Independent Media

Book Launch

In the Fall of 2019, I was enrolled in journalism selected topics course where we learned about the history of independent media and its impact in the journalism sphere. Through this class, I was able to learn about a plethora of independent outlets that are doing amazing reporting on important stories that mainstream media won't cover or won't take the time to do the proper reporting.

A large part of this course compared how mainstream media and independent news outlets report on hot button issues like climate change, police brutality, and even immigration. Class sessions were spaces where we critically critiqued mainstream media and the power they have to sway and influence public opinion.

Author & Journalist Todd Miller

During my time in the course I was exposed to a variety of guest speakers; authors and journalists who were experts in their fields. One of whom was Todd Miller, author of Empire of Borders. This book covers the tensions around the United States-Mexico border.

I was able to attend an event where Miller spoke about his book and his writing process; gathering information, traveling and providing accurate information. In addition to this, I was able to participate in a smaller discussion with Miller when he visited one of my class sessions.

I was able to learn about Miller's background and interest in the border/immigration. He lived in Mexico for a period of time and was aware of the situation, then moved back for four years looking into U.S. policy.

With previous work on borders, including a trip in 1999 to Haiti and observing the tensions between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Miller realized this wasn't an isolated issue, but that borders affect lots of people.

In his 15 years of border research, Miller found that borders are a form of disempowerment. The people that feel the effects of the border and are feeling othered are stripped of their agency as a human. Empire of Borders is a deep-dive of sorts into the economic functions of migration and its adverse effects on United States citizens.

The findings that Miller shared with us were simultaneously shocking and also unsurprising. In 1994 the budget for things concerning the border was 1.4 billion dollars but in 2018 it was reported that the budget was 23 billion dollars.

Living during the Trump presidency it is no surprise that funds are being allocated to stopping "rapists". When he has also enacted executive orders to ban Muslims and deny entry to asylum seekers.

Miller also brought up points about the actual purpose that the border serves. Prompting us to think critically, we talked about the border being an offensive tactic more than a defensive one. Creating a physical barrier instead of understanding and mitigating the mass migration that is happening.

There was also mention of the validity of the border. Does it really keep people safe or does it provide a false sense of security?

I thought that this was an interesting point considering that since the increase in border protective measures and construction of the physical border, there have been many reports about its ineffectiveness.

There was one Mexican congressman who actually climbed the wall to prove that this physical barrier wouldn't be much of an obstacle for migrants and that there is a bigger issue here. It was brought up that there needs to be a discussion around the border to unpack why deem it necessary to fund such a large project with measures that are ineffective.

Racism fuels the fight

I can't help but wonder if the neighboring country to the south of the United States was filled with a population of mostly white people that policies and procedures would look different.

Although we live during a 'progressive' time, there is still lots of racism and xenophobia that runs rampant throughout our society. It is disheartening to see that people believe in these messages and support the mistreatment of people only seeking to improve their daily lives.

Unfortunately by the people who are affected by these policies, since this is seen as an 'evergreen' issue, momentum for immigration reform is slow going. Only when something major happens does reporting stay consistent but only for a few days until they begin to slowly decrease again.

I believe that through education, like people who read Miller's books, there can be tangible change.