Borders and badges: Arizona’s children confront detention and deportation through art

Hostile and unpredictable immigration policies can have detrimental consequences for children of immigrants. This study provides a snapshot of children’s reactions to anti-immigrant policies in Arizona from 2007 to 2010. Through a visual content narrative analysis of 115 drawings by children in a community-run after-school program in Maricopa County, Phoenix, Arizona, this study chronicles, analyzes, and attempts to understand the ways children make sense of their positions and their families’ security in US society. The themes that emerged from children’s drawings include (1) detention and deportation, (2) violence and racism, and (3) resilience. The themes outlined in this paper suggest that in a continued repressive political context, children’s preoccupations with family separation are likely to have lasting consequences as these children transition into adulthood. For scholars, educators, and policymakers, this study reveals the consequences of deportation-based fear on children’s academic, emotional, and physical well-being.