Data Borders: How Silicon Valley Is Building an Industry around Immigrants

Data Borders explores the use of biotechnologies to surveil Latinx immigrants, implicating law enforcement, border patrol, and ICE in a network of exploitation and control. This book argues for immigrant and citizen information privacy rights and emphasizes the need to understand how data is collected, aggregated, correlated, and weaponized with artificial intelligence.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 11 July 2023
Publisher: University of California Press

Data Borders: Investigating the Surveillance State in the Digital Age

In her groundbreaking book, "Data Borders," Melissa Villa-Nicholas delves into the intricate world of borderland technology, revealing the profound impact it has on the lives of individuals and communities. Through a comprehensive exploration of entrenched and emerging technologies, Villa-Nicholas uncovers a web of surveillance that encompasses all aspects of life, from data collection to citizenship definitions.

One particularly concerning trend highlighted in "Data Borders" is the biologically mapping of undocumented people through biotechnologies. Villa-Nicholas exposes how surreptitious monitoring of Latinx immigrants is at the heart of Silicon Valley's expanding defense technology manufacturing industry. She unveils a murky network that collects data on marginalized communities, with implications for exploitation and control that extend beyond law enforcement, border patrol, and ICE. This network involves not only government agencies but also public workers and the general public, often without their knowledge or consent.

Through rich interviews with Latinx immigrants living in the borderlands, Villa-Nicholas sheds light on their daily experiences with technology and their cautious approach to surveillance. These immigrants provide valuable insights into the ways in which technology is shaping their lives and the challenges they face in a heavily surveilled environment. The book argues that in order to move beyond a state that dehumanizes both immigrants and citizens, we must first understand the mechanisms behind data collection, aggregation, correlation, and weaponization with artificial intelligence.

Villa-Nicholas calls for the protection of immigrant and citizen information privacy rights along the border and throughout the United States. She advocates for policies that prioritize the safeguarding of personal data, the abolition of mass surveillance programs, and the establishment of transparent and accountable mechanisms for data use. By raising awareness about the implications of borderland technology and advocating for privacy rights, "Data Borders" contributes to a critical conversation about the future of surveillance and democracy in the digital age.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of borderland technology, the implications of surveillance on human rights, and the urgent need for democratic reform in the age of information.

Weight: 330g
Dimension: 154 x 229 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520386075