Serve, Work and Transform: U.S. imperialism is the problem

Friday, April 16, 2021

U.S. imperialism is the problem

U.S. Imperialism Is the Problem, Not Unaccompanied Minors

Sandy Ovalle

This March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents encountered nearly 19,000 unaccompanied minors at the U.S.-Mexico border — a record high. To many, this number was shocking; media outlets used militaristic language to describe the arriving minors as a “surge.” However, this influx is not surprising given seasonal migration patterns and the horrific immigration policies instated by the Trump administration — policies the Biden administration has not yet repealed. The current administration must address the immediate needs of people seeking refuge at the southern border while also tackling the root causes of forced displacement and migration: U.S. imperialism.

Earlier this week, we heard echoes of this imperialism as the Biden administration reached agreements with Latin American nations to implement militarized solutions to the forced displacement crisis. Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras agreed to deploy 10,000, 1,500, and 7,000 of their own troops, respectively, to their borders, meeting this so-called “surge” in migration with an actual surge in troops. Liberating our geopolitical imagination begins with ending the use of militaristic terms when we discuss migration.

To understand why there are so many unaccompanied minors at the border today, we need to rewind to the start of the pandemic.

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