Death and Detention: Life at the Mexican American Border

In recent times, photographs exposing the conditions of detention centers along the Mexican American border have been released into the world of media, showing Latin American immigrants being treated as less than human in regard to their living conditions. However, this treatment of Latin American immigrants in the United States has a long, historical past that stems from racism and political-structural failures in the U.S. This Scholars Independent Study explores the history of how the Mexican American border came to be the one that exists today, how policies developed over multiple administrations led to the development of detention centers along the border, as well as the current standing of these detention centers today and how COVID-19 has worsened the livelihood of Latin American immigrants trapped in the confines of these detention centers. The analysis of detention centers along the Mexican American border is essential in order for people in the United States to understand what is truly happening in these death camps so that changes can be made to ensure that these Latin American immigrants go from prisoners back to functioning humans among society.