Deadly Borders: A Conversation on Immigration with Dr. Jason de León

As the U.S. primary elections unfold, the issue of border security, particularly along the US-Mexico border, has taken center stage. Concerns about the number of people crossing the U.S. southern border illegally have prompted extreme and sometimes fatal measures by U.S. officials to curb the flow of migrants. How effective are these measures at slowing illegal immigration, and what is the cost for those trying to enter the U.S.? In this week’s podcast, we sit down with Dr. Jason de León, professor of Anthropology and Chicano Studies at UCLA and the director of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, to discuss the effects of various immigration policies.

Dr. de  León sheds light on the methods that have been employed since at least the 1990s to deter border crossing, such as the Prevention through Deterrence policy, highlighting the conditions faced by those who cross the border and the potentially fatal outcomes. Challenging the perception of migration as a localized issue, Dr. de  León argues that migration is a multifaceted phenomenon with global implications. He advocates for humane policies that address the root causes of migration, such as poverty and political turmoil, rather than relying on border enforcement policies that actively and often purposely cause harm and even death.

Dr. de  León is the Executive Director of the Undocumented Migration Project (UMP),  professor of Anthropology and Chicano Studies at UCLA, and the Director of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology. Dr de León earned his bachelor’s at UCLA and his PhD at Penn State University. He was named a MacArthur Foundation fellow in 2017. His first book “The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail,” was published in 2015 by the University of California Press, and his second book, “Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling,” was published by Viking Press in March 2024.