This photo of a Honduran woman running away from tear gas with her two children became emblematic of border militarization at the US-Mexico border in late 2018. A caravan of people left Honduras on October 13, and by the time it reached the Southern US border it had sparked fear, apprehension and hate on both sides of the border. Individuals migrants received little support from local officials in Tijuana, for example they were hidden from public view in the sports complex, and others were even violently attacked (Watson, 2018). In the USA, the government legitimizes violent discourse by defending the use of tear gas. As the BBC points out “The Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the use of tear gas in war but allows it for [U.S.] domestic law enforcement purposes.”
I chose this photo because I think it illustrates the modern discourse of border militarization. Though it is graphic and disturbing, I think it is important to bear witness to the classification of illegal and legal migration. Bordering practices are perpetuated by an unquestioned segregation of people. We assume that a legal immigrant is educated and valuable, while an illegal migrant is violent and unproductive. This creates a hierarchy that champions neoliberal gain for the receiver state. For example, a more educated citizen is likely to have increased income which results in more tax dollars. Moreover, the normalization of the militarized discourse around illegal migrants creates power for the state. It presents the nation-state as a protector of its citizens. This photo raises scrutiny in the validity of violent protectionist dialogue. Must the USA be protected against twin five-year old girls?
Keywords: border, hierarchies, illegal, legal, binary, militarization
Author: marielh
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