Hostile Terrain 94
Hostile Terrain 94 is a participatory exhibition created by the Undocumented Migration Project, a non-profit organization that focuses on the social process of immigration and raises awareness through research, education, and outreach.
In 1994, the United States Border Patrol implemented the “Prevention Through Deterrence” (PTD) strategy. This policy heightened security at urban points of entry, forcing undocumented migrants to traverse the Sonoran Desert in Southern Arizona, known as “Hostile Terrain.” More than six million people have attempted this perilous journey since the 1990s. The harsh desert environment has resulted in the deaths of more than 4,000 migrants due to dehydration and hyperthermia. PTD remains the primary border enforcement strategy today.
The Participatory Exhibit:
Hostile Terrain 94 is an immersive exhibition featuring approximately 4,000 handwritten toe tags representing migrants who died crossing the Sonoran Desert from the mid-1990s to 2023. These tags are geolocated on a wall map of the Arizona-Mexico border, pinpointing where human remains were found. By writing out the names and information of the deceased, participants are invited to reflect, witness, and stand in solidarity with those who lost their lives in search of a better one.
This exhibit is displayed at over 120 institutions across six continents, aiming to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis at America’s southern border and to foster global conversations about migration.
How it Works
Volunteers at each hosting location participate in tag-filling workshops, writing the details of the deceased and placing the tags on the map. Some tags include QR codes linking to migrant stories and related content, accessible via cellphone.
Wagner’s Workshop: What to Expect
In April, Hostile Terrain 94 will be featured in Wagner’s Spotlight gallery. Volunteers will be notified in advance and may assist in the installation and the exhibit’s opening. Join us in this vital project to honor lost lives and engage in meaningful dialogue about migration and its impact.
- Workshops will be held on Wagner’s campus and across the Staten Island community in Fall 2024 and Winter 2025.
- Volunteers will fill out the toe tags using data provided by our hosts. This process helps participants bear witness to the humanitarian crisis at our southern border.
- The workshop aims to foster emotional connections, memorialize lost lives, and encourage participation in the broader migration conversation.
- Resources and dialogue will be offered to support participants through the emotionally challenging work.
Celeste Marie Gagnon
Professor and Division Chair
718-390-3126 celeste.gagnon@wagner.edu Parker Hall 110pronouns: she, her
Sarah J. Scott
Professor
718-420-4528 sarah.scott@wagner.edu Main Hall 35 (top floor)A specialist in Ancient Near Eastern Art History, Dr. Scott teaches a range of courses covering ancient and global cultures.
- Further Information
- Support Resources
- Organizations, Groups & Aid
- Hear from Jason De León, professor of anthropology and Chicana/o Studies at UCLA and executive director of the Undocumented Migration Project on NPR ‘On Point’.
- Donate to the Florence Project to help provide free legal services, social services, and advocacy to immigrants facing detention
and potential deportation. - Join the Detention Watch Network (DWN) in working together through advocacy, community organizing, and strategic communications to reform immigration detention policies in the United States.
- The Colibrí Center for Human Rights promotes healing and change by working with families of disappeared migrants to identify and honor those who have lost their lives on the US-Mexico border.
- Learn more about the history of border sands and policing in the Sonoran Desert.
- Additional recommended reading.
Wagner Center for Health and Wellness
For additional information, please call 718-390-3158 or email our office at studenthealthservice@wagner.edu.
Mobilizing Organizations
- Mijente @conmijente
- Families Belong Together @fams2gether
- No More Deaths @nomoredeaths_nomasmuertes
- Fronteristxs @fronteristxs
- Pueblo Sin Fronteras @pueblosinfronteras
Advocacy Groups
- RAICES Action Fund @raicesaction / @raicestexas
- Sin Fronteras @sinfronterasiap
Legal Aid
- Al Otro Lado @alotrolado_org
- Immigrant Defenders Law Center @immdef_lawcenter
- Immigrant Justice Network @immjusticenetwork
- Innovation Law Lab @innovationlawlab
- National Immigrant Justice Center @immigrantjustice
- National Immigration Law Center @nilc
This Project is funded by the Wagner College/Archaeological Society of Staten Island Endowment and Project Pericles. Local community partners include Catholic Charities Community Services and La Colmena.