In Immigration Nation, the United States number one export is cruelty

There isn’t much that is new about Immigration Nation. Netflix’s six-part documentary series about American immigration law enforcement depicts what news stories have long chronicled: a constant, almost mundane parade of indignity and horror inflicted on the undocumented in America. The reportage, no matter how dogged, has seemed to have had little effect. After the initial visits from dismayed politicians, families are still being separated at the border, and pandemic response measures mean ample opportunities for further abuse. There is room, then, for a visual document on the most widely used streaming platform dedicated to plainly depicting this specific and uniquely American injustice. It’s also damning that it’s even necessary.

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