As the presidential election comes into full swing in the next couple of weeks, debates on the border have once again been at the forefront of political discourse. Candidates from local, state and federal levels are weighing in on the conversation. However, the conversation tends to not consider the humanitarian issue unfolding at the border, so let’s talk about it.

The common statement about migration in the southern border is that “migrants are streaming in with no check,” which is often coupled with the narrative that migrants, particularly undocumented immigrants, are criminals. These statements are rooted in xenophobia and misleading information. In reality, there is little evidence to support that undocumented immigrants contribute to higher crime rates, as immigrants tend to be more law-abiding.

Daily headlines, sent straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest at and around USC.

When discussing the border, we must address the mistreatment of migrants in detention centers. While originally intended to temporarily house immigrants for a small amount of time while they await legal action on their case, these centers often hold individuals for years in harsh conditions. Furthermore, the systemic inequalities within immigration enforcement mirror those in the criminal justice system.

Just as Black Americans are disproportionately targeted by police, Black immigrants are more vulnerable to immigration enforcement. One in 10 Black people in the United States are immigrants and the arrest-to-deportation pipeline places Black migrants at risk of deportation.

NPR reported on Jose Melvin Gonzalez, a 45-year-old Salvadoran immigrant who won his immigration case but remained in custody while waiting for immigration officials to either appeal the judge’s decision or find a third country to deport him to.

Gonzalez is one of many who have been held in custody for months and years while awaiting their appeal, which contributes to the prolonged suffering of immigrants in detention. The tools immigration officials use to detain and deport contribute specifically to their mental suffering. Many, like Gonzalez, hold on to hope of reuniting with their family despite the prolonged uncertainty and hardships.

Immigrants coming to the border seek safety and opportunities, arriving as migrants and asylum-seekers. When they arrive, they are taken by Border Patrol, enduring loss of their property, as border patrol confiscates or forces them to trash their belongings.

The American Civil Liberties Union reported on the abusive treatment of confiscation of items. These items involve medical devices, legal and identity documents, religious items, and items of financial or sentimental value.

The confiscation of items involves life-saving medications for migrants who have conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and epilepsy. It was reported that Customs and Border Protection confiscated a 5-year-old girl’s epilepsy medications. She did not receive the medical care she needed until she was released to a shelter in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The conditions immigrants face during their detention fail to be detailed when uncovering and debating the immigration system and border enforcement. Therefore, the harsh conditions immigrants face upon being detained and their journey to the United States are often silenced in the media.

Additionally, many migrants have reported experiencing sexual abuse and verbal harassment during their time in detention. In 2014, Esteban Manzanares, a Border Bortol agent, had allegations of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a group of women who had crossed the border. Manzanares was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The investigation began after border patrol agents discovered an older woman with cut and boiled wrists near the U.S. Texas border. She and along with two younger women who crossed from Honduras turned themselves in and claimed Manzanares took them away from the area, assaulted them and left with younger women.

The conversation around the border goes beyond political debates — it is a humanitarian issue that remains unrecognized and unsolved. As the elections come into swing both federally and in states along the border, it is crucial to understand the experiences of migrants detained there. Additionally, examining the facts behind xenophobic rhetorics advocating for mass deportations, especially in the context of a broken immigration system is a must when discussing the border.

Heydy Vasquez is a junior writing about the lack of support for undocumented students on college campuses. Her column, “Undocu-Tales,” runs every other Friday.