Death by Design: Border-Crossing Morality and the Concept of "Homicide"

Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 3 PM

Little Chapel of All Nations - 1401 E 1st St, U of A Campus

In this talk, Dr. Soto reflects on decades of research about the mortality of undocumented border crossers (UBCs) in the Southwest. This work highlights how the intent to impose a "cost" on would-be USCs is central to deterrence-based border enforcement strategies. Documents related to border enforcement describe the wilderness as "hostile terrain." emphasizing that the "cost" refers to the physical suffering faced in these harsh conditions.

Despite this, medicolegal officials classify deaths in these areas as "accidents," implying no intent. Dr. Soto argues this classification is misleading, constrained by bureaucratic semantics. To address this, Gabriella proposes that local medicolegal authorities, independent of federal enforcement, could argue these deaths should be labeled as "homicides" according to official guidelines. Traditionally, "homicide" requires individual intent, but the context of the border prompts a reconsideration of how to classify state actions that lead to death, even when those actions are systemic.