Detain and Deport

Nancy Hiemstra's Detain and Deport examines the unintended consequences of U.S. immigration policies, revealing how they create insecurities and connections across borders.

In Detain and Deport, Nancy Hiemstra explores the complex realities surrounding the U.S. immigration enforcement system through a multisited ethnographic lens. By examining the experiences of detained and deported migrants, along with their families and communities in Ecuador, Hiemstra challenges the prevailing assumptions that detention and deportation enhance national security and deter migration. Instead, she reveals that these practices often create insecurities and foster enduring connections that transcend national borders.

The book highlights the chaotic nature of the U.S. immigration enforcement system, which detains and deports more individuals than any other country. Hiemstra's research underscores how this system is built on the flawed belief that national borders can be effectively controlled. Through her investigation, she demonstrates that the reality of detention and deportation does not align with the intended goals of security and deterrence. Rather, these policies can inadvertently blur state borders and generate new forms of social connection among migrants and their communities.

Ultimately, Detain and Deport reframes the narrative around immigration enforcement, suggesting that the focus on detention and deportation is influenced by various stakeholders who profit from these practices. Hiemstra argues that this emphasis not only perpetuates racialized notions of national identity but also undermines the rights of migrants, keeping them on a precarious path toward deportation. This thought-provoking work invites readers to reconsider the implications of current immigration policies and their broader social consequences.