Migration as a human right

Dr. Alvaro Huerta speaks about how and why migrants (particularly those migrating from Mexico to the United States) are placed into false dichotomies of legal and illegal, white and brown, and wealthy and poor, and how these dichotomies are used to construct harmful narratives against migrants. He discusses how the maintenance of these dichotomies contradict the idea of migration as a human right, as well as the idea that all global citizens are meant to be treated equally. He also points out the contradiction that exists in the United States’ valuing of labour and production, while at the same time obstructing ethical labour and manipulating global economy through the use of borders and migration control. Huerta calls for a questioning of how destination countries like the United States can (and ought to) benefit migrants, not just how migrants can contribute to the country.

This video centres important questions to be considered in order to analyze how the image of the immigrant (particularly the illegal immigrant) is constructed and maintained, and for what purpose. It gives a name to the dichotomies that fuel this image, and encourages the viewer to directly questions those dichotomies’ validity. Dr. Huerta’s focus on the American-Mexican border and those who cross it is especially relevant during the ongoing issue of the wall that is being built on the orders of President Donald Trump. His use of his family’s own experiences of migration and discrimination add a personal aspect to the issues he is discussing, which serves as a reminder that migrants are not just topics of debate or subjects of discourse, but are real people with complex lives, agency, voices, and experiences that affect their future generations and communities.

Keywords: migration, human rights, borders, labour import

URL/Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17fi3buAscY

Keywords: migration, human rights, borders, labour import Author: Jor Ishdala