Deportation Express: A History of America through Forced Removal

The Deportation Express is a history of the United States' systematic expulsion of undesirables and immigrants, told through the lives of the passengers who traveled from around the world, only to be locked up and forced out aboard America's first deportation trains. It reveals the origins of the deportation train and finds the roots of the current moment, as immigrant restriction and mass deportation once again play critical and troubling roles in contemporary politics and legislation.

Format: Hardback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 19 October 2021
Publisher: University of California Press

The United States, often hailed as a nation of immigrants and a symbol of freedom, has established the most comprehensive system of imprisonment and deportation in global history. The Deportation Express, the first comprehensive account of American deportation trains, unveils a network of prison railroad cars repurposed by the Immigration Bureau to efficiently transport individuals deemed undesirable, including migrants facing discrimination due to poverty, political radicalism, criminal convictions, or mental illness. This book, written by historian Ethan Blue, delves into the origins of the deportation train and uncovers the underlying factors contributing to the current resurgence of immigrant restriction and mass deportation in contemporary politics and legislation.

A century ago, deportation trains operated on a continuous loop around the United States, collecting individuals labeled as "undesirable aliens." These migrants were often despised for their poverty, political beliefs, criminal records, or mental illnesses. Deportation procedures in the past were violent, costly, and haphazard, but the railroad revolutionized the expulsion of the undesirable. Trains provided a powerful tool for separating citizens from aliens and facilitating the displacement of large populations. By examining the experiences of migrants and the agents responsible for their expulsion, The Deportation Express offers a unique perspective on history, unfolding through the lens of a deportation train. By following the lives of select individuals caught within the deportation regime, this book vividly exposes the profound impact of state exclusion alongside the immense human suffering it engendered.

Weight: 784g
Dimension: 162 x 242 x 38 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520304444