Over the course of just this past month, the United States government implemented a policy of family separation of migrants (largely from Central America) coming across US borders; the US migration detention network – already the world’s largest – has been intensified and enhanced; the Supreme Court upheld the “Muslim Ban” broadly and specifically limited refugee access to the US; and internal security agencies like ICE have sharply increased both their actions and rhetoric at the border and across the country. In response to this series of events – and much beyond – there is an urgent need for critical conversation on what is happening in this moment, where it is coming from, and why. BISR is proud to host this forum and conversation on July 6th, in Austin, TX, co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Mexico in Austin and Jolt Texas, in solidarity with Jolt’s Art Caravan for Children to Brownsville on July 8. Our July 6th event will also be streamed for those outside of Austin.
The initial conversation will be led by Nestor Rodriguez (UT Austin, Department of Sociology), Sarah Lopez (UT Austin, School of Architecture, Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice), Eduardo Canales (Executive Director of the South Texas Human Rights Center), Ana Hernandez (Social Work, UT Austin) and Ajay Singh Chaudhary (BISR, Core Faculty, social and political theory) with more participants to be announced shortly. What is the history of cross-border migration and deportation? What is happening on the ground now? How are such events structured legally? Structured physically? What are some of the political, economic, geographic, and international contexts for migration? These are just some of the questions which will situate the conversation. Attendees are also encouraged to bring their questions. Further information to come.
Co-sponsored by Consul General of Mexico in Austin, Jolt Texas, UCS at the Worker Institute of Cornell University