88″H x 37″W x 21″D. Wood, mixed media, lights, turntable.
Permanent collection of the El Paso Art Museum
Front and back of the sculpture
Commentary
To someone living in Arizona, Texas, or another U.S.-Mexico border state, “La Migra” is a common colloquial term used to refer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or more broadly, the U.S. Border Patrol agents.
“La Migra” was created over an eight-year period beginning in late 1994, when Operation Gatekeeper, President Clinton’s militarization of the Mexico border, was launched.
Prior to 1994, Mexican citizens were allowed to cross the border for day labour jobs. Within one year of President Clinton’s militarization of the Mexico border and construction of the wall the death rate of immigrants increased 500%, and the immigrant rate increased 58%.
The freestanding sculpture is intricately detailed with carved, painted, beaded, embroidered patterns and imagery referencing Mexican heritage.
Individual dioramas depict scenes related to border crossings: a coyote (human smuggler) holding up deceased immigrants in a locked van, a sun radiating miniature crosses, a map of the border, a revolving tray with an Abuelita highway crossing sign surrounded by roadside graves, border patrol agents attached to a hovering helicopter.
