Welcome to the Latino Research Initiative

By now, we have all seen the consequences of recently implemented policies along the U.S.-Mexico border. As we know too well, there is a long history of government action in these matters that has left scars upon our nation’s legacy and people. The current injustices are no different and compel us in Latino Studies at UT Austin to publicly respond.

In short, the prosecution, separation, and detention of those seeking asylum here are cruel and indefensible. We call on federal, state, and local authorities to adhere to international human rights conventions and to the due process of law as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution with regard to the fair treatment of all people, including immigrants.

The rigorous scholarly work conducted in Latino Studies is dedicated to exploring the complexities of Latinidad—its beauties, its burdens, and its pain—with the goal of promoting understanding and empowering communities for a more just and compassionate future. With this in mind, we will not let this chapter or the many lives affected by it be ignored or forgotten by history, and we will continue to defend what we know to be true:

“... the skin of the earth is seamless.
The sea cannot be fenced,
el mar does not stop at borders.”

-Gloria Anzaldúa, from Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza