Deportations in an age of Neoliberalism

Abstract

Under policies of the new national security regime, undocumented migrants are more susceptible to being striped of due process, becoming ineligible for basic social services and facing heightened fears of deportation. Central Americans are among the national origin groups with the highest rates of criminal and non criminal forced removals. While the deportation story largely ends for the US once deportees are sent “home”, the impact for receiving nations presents an ongoing challenge as new democracies struggle with mounting gang violence contributed by expatiated youth who were “made in the USA”. Ill equipped to deal with the rise in organized crime, receiving nations have turned to mano dura or zero-tolerance strategies on the advice of regional enforcement agencies. Here we explore the deportation of undocumented migrants under the new security regime and to responses to deportations in several Central American nations.