It's a statistical fact that cuts against easy narratives: roughly half of all U.S. Border Patrol agents identify as Latino, along with 30 percent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Given that a majority of Latinos now fear deportation for themselves or loved ones, according to Pew Research, the sight of Latino officers detaining other Latinos has sparked accusations of betrayal from some activists.
But philosopher Amy Reed-Sandoval, writing in a recent analysis, challenges the idea that these enlistments are simply acts of loyalty or betrayal. She argues that the real drivers are structural: economic desperation in border communities, deeply ingrained patriarchal norms, and what she calls “aspirational whiteness”—the desire to pass as white to gain social and economic advantages.
The Border Economy as a Recruiter
Reed-Sandoval points out that the U.S.-Mexico border cuts through land that was once Mexico, leaving many towns with largely working-class Latino populations. In these communities, the Border Patrol is often the biggest employer and offers the best-paying jobs. “If the border ran through Montana, where 88 percent of the population is white, the percentage of Latinos in immigration enforcement would be much lower,” she writes. Economic precarity, not ideological support for enforcement, is the more powerful force.
This reality is echoed in recent political battles. As Senate Republicans delayed a $72 billion immigration enforcement bill amid internal fights over compensation funds, the economic stakes for border communities remained high.
Gender and Patriarchy
The gender breakdown is stark: only 5 percent of Border Patrol agents are women, and men make up 85 percent of ICE. Reed-Sandoval argues that patriarchal norms channel Latino men toward enforcement roles while steering women away. “We need to question how patriarchal gender norms are propelling male identification with immigration enforcement,” she writes.
The Shadow of White Supremacy
The most uncomfortable factor, Reed-Sandoval says, is white supremacy. The Southern Poverty Law Center recently documented that the Department of Homeland Security has used white nationalist imagery—some drawn from neo-Nazi and antisemitic sources—in recruitment materials. Historically, immigration enforcement jobs have gone to groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the Texas Rangers.
Why would Latinos join such an organization? Reed-Sandoval cites the concept of “aspirational whiteness”: a desire to perform whiteness in hopes of accessing its privileges. “Joining immigration enforcement is not an act of protecting one’s Latino community,” she writes, “but an effort to advance personal interests by performing whiteness.”
This dynamic plays out against a backdrop of broader political turmoil. The GOP’s internal revolt over immigration policy, including a $1.8 billion compensation fund that derailed a recent bill, underscores how enforcement priorities remain deeply contested even within the party.
A Structural Problem, Not a Personal Betrayal
Reed-Sandoval acknowledges that some Latinos genuinely believe they are protecting their communities by enforcing immigration laws. But she insists that in a society shaped by racism, patriarchy, and class inequality, those beliefs are themselves shaped by harmful norms. “Where Geraldo Cadava sees a Latino attempt to protect the Latino community, I see the problematic nature of the border itself,” she writes. “Latinos cannot forget that our real problem is structural: a dangerous and deadly border from which we all need to start protecting our communities. But we certainly cannot accomplish this by joining ICE.”
As the Senate weighs a $72 billion enforcement package and lawmakers push for DACA protections and anti-profiling measures, the question of who enforces the law—and why—remains as politically charged as ever.
