Roundtable: Trump’s Border Politics: Myths and Facts from the Rio Grande Valley

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract/Description

The Texas/Mexican border has a history of colonialism and imperialism, and as such the culture of the indigenous, the Mexicans and Mestizos/as have been subjected to violence and erasure. As a colonized space, the people of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo continue to suffer systemic oppression, fueled by President’s Trumps border wall politics resulting in a false narrative of a security crisis. As academics and students of the Texas/Mexican border, we want to engage in a dialogue that is factual. We do not live in fear of immigrants. And we are not being invaded by MS-13 gang members or terrorists. The issues we experience in the border are created by racist rhetoric, racist policies and a disregard for our land.

Sub Unit

• Area XI. Roundtables

Chair

• Rosalva Resendiz, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Discussants

• Lucas E. Espinoza, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

• Carlos Vasquez, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

• Noe Leal, University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley