Todd Miller - Border Patrol Nation: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Homeland Security

First of all, it would be a lie to say that I wrote this book alone. There are so many people who helped me in so many ways. There were so many conversations, so many people who took the time to read my manuscript and give me feedback, so many who let me into their homes or shared their lives, even at great risk. There are many whom I cant name here. And there are many who helped me as I scraped together pennies to do research trips throughout the Southwest borderlands, Detroit, Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Sodus, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.

The following is a hopelessly inadequate list, as there are countless people who have inspired me, whom I have learned from, whose work Ive engaged with, with whom Ive had conversations, or whose stories I have learned about but who will not appear in the list. I do hope, though, that many have already been acknowledged in the pages of the book.

I want to thank too the hundreds of people over a span of many years with whom I have met before they crossed, without papers, into the United States. I also thank my international friends who have showed me hospitality in their homes. I can only hope that they are given similar welcome in my country.

My partial list:

Joseph Nevinsyour encouragement, insight, and wisdom are present throughout the book. I am grateful for the fact that you have been involved since the beginning stages, and for your friendship.

Greg Ruggieroyour enthusiasm is contagious, your poetic vision relentless, your editing awesome.

Rita and Don GallagherI love the camper! Your generosity and hospitality were amazing in Lewiston (Niagara FallsBuffalo area).

Kelly Fay Rodriguez, Jos LaLuz, Braulio Torres, Jos Lole Rodrguez Bez, and Wilfredo Ramrezthanks so much for your helping me organize everything in the beautiful Isla de Encanto.

Daniel Steinthanks for your research and accompaniment; always remember the Stryker in New Mexico.

Mark Millerthanks for your research; you know I love you, my brother.

West Cosgrovethanks so much for letting me crash so many times at the Casa Puente.

City Lights BooksGreg, Stacey, Elaine, Robert, Jolene, it is such a pleasure to work with all of you. City Lights to me is hallowed ground.

Mario Sosa, Caroline Bettinger-Lpez, Kelly Fay Rodrguez, Marianela Carvajal Daz, Joselina Fay Rodrguez, Father Regino Martnez Bretn (and Solidaridad Fronteriza in Dajabn)my work in the Dominican Republic could not have happened without your help and hospitality.

Tony Macias and David Hillthanks so much for the shelter, wheels, food, and great company in South Carolina.

Laurie Melrood and Blake Gentry: How long did I stay in your guest room? How long did you let me use the Swedish tank? So grateful to you and for the beautiful friendship I have with you.

Geoffrey Boyce, Jimmy Johnson, Jonathan Contreras, Wade Schreiber, and Lena Masri (from CAIR-Michigan)you are the reason my trip to Detroit was so fruitful. The conversations with you were so insightful.

John Lory Ghertner and Peter Maresthanks so much for introducing me and accompanying me in Sodus. And so eloquently articulating its beauty and its horror.

Timothy Dunn, Monica Varsanyi, David Cates, Mizue Aizeki, Guadalupe Castillo, Joseph Nevins, John Lory Ghertner, Mathew Coleman, Lauren Dasse, Geoffrey Boyce, Tim Vanderpoolthanks so much for your careful readings and insightful feedback on parts (or all) of the manuscript. It is much better because of all of you.

Louise Misztalthanks for your awesome cartography. Randall Serraglio and Louise, thank you for letting me crash in your house.

Lynda Cruzthanks so much for your help with contacts in Tucson and Douglas. Patricia Hohl and Jonathon Shacatthanks for helping me with connections in Bisbee and Naco.

David Garciathanks for being my guide and answering my thousands of questions on the Tohono Oodham Nation.

Gustavo Lozanothank you my great friend for all your help and inspiration in Nogales.

Colin Deedsthanks for the insightful meetings at Caffe Luce.

Bryan Gonzalezthank you for sharing your incredible story. And Vicki Gaubeca from the New Mexico ACLU for helping connect me with Bryan and for all the knowledge you generously shared.

Elizabeth Bellthanks for your careful eye and excellent edits.

Murphy Woodhousethanks for your beautiful photographs.

Laurens familyespecially Peggy, Dennis, Wes, Gahbah, Tom, and Shannonthanks for all your support from the beginning to the end.

Tommy Bassett, Cafe Justo, and Frontera de Cristothanks for the hospitality, conversations, and insight in Douglas and Agua Prieta.

Thank you to all those who I cant thank by name, because you have asked me not to. You are the fuel that fires this book. Among you are undocumented people, U.S. citizens who have been hurt by border enforcement, and U.S. Border Patrol agents who have graciously shared your stories but wish to be anonymous.

Finally, all of the following have helped in very important ways. Names are not listed in any particular order: Matt Cleary, Michael Ratner, Sharon Hostetler (and the organization Witness for Peace), Kenneth Kennon (and the organization BorderLinks), Mike Fox (and everybody at NACLA), Pablo Morales, Tom Engelhardt (and TomDispatch), Heather Craigie, Nancy Mattina (and all the folks at Prescott College), Susan Yeich, Betsy Bolding, Kenneth Madsen, Vicki Gaubeca, Margi Ault Duell, Emily Breines, Christopher Krezmien, Betty Marin, Dereka Rushbrooke, Megan McDonough, Hector Suarez, Abby Graseck, Nancy Hiemstra, Jenna Loyd, Elaine Brower, Andrew S. Toomajian, Jake Ratner, Roxana Mesias, Arline, Harold Garrett-Goodyear, Kat Sinclair, Ben Beachy, Jeff Orlowski, Rachel Anderson, Liz OShaughnessy, Riley Merline, Brook Bernini, Jonathan Harris, Adam Shoop, Deva Abela, Moravia de la O, Luis Amaury Bez, Randall Serraglio, Katie Hudak, Alexis Ball, Beth Poteet, Katie Sharar, Barry Stoner, Andrew C. Mills, Paul Magno, Robert M. Saper, Leon Fink, E. Ian Robinson, Susan DuBois, Dave Mitchell, Marina Adler, Alissa Escarce, Leslie Salgado, Carl Conn, Jane Stein, Josh Haney, Karen Green, William Dean, Richard Boren, Angie Black, Lorri Dobias, Alex Hartnett, Elisa Espiritu, Tshilo Galup, Harriet Heywood, Mary B. Gregory, Maura Gregory, Isaac, Kim Lettrich, Megan, Ralph Curcuru, Tim Doherty, Ann Rogers, Michael Stein, Sally Jones (and all the folks at the Unitarian Church of Staten Island), Jeffrey G. Hemmett, Mary Rogers, Sara Meza Romero, Ray Smith, Eric Williams, Sebastian Sanchez, Elena, Bob Jenkins, Mary Jo Jenkins, Barbara Corbett, Helen Miller, and Steve Miller.

Reina, for being my writing buddy.

Mom, for always encouraging me to read, write, and think critically about things. And for your constant support.

Dad, for teaching me to appreciate and love the natural world around me.

Lauren Dasse, you are beautiful and know I couldnt have done this without you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For the past fifteen years Todd Miller has researched, written about, and worked on immigration and border issues from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico divide for organizations such as BorderLinks, Witness for Peace, and NACLA. The bulk of this work was done in Tucson, Arizona, and Oaxaca, Mexico, with stints in New York City sprinkled in. Between Tucson, where he is now based, and the BuffaloNiagara Falls region of New York State where he grew up, he has spent the majority of his life close to U.S. international boundaries, South and North. His writings about the border have appeared in the New York Times, TomDispatch, Mother Jones, The Nation, Al Jazeera English, Le Monde diplomatique, Salon,