Amada Armenta’s groundbreaking book, Protect, Serve, and Deport, delves deep into the controversial intersection of local law enforcement and federal immigration policies in the United States. This pivotal work uncovers the realities of how the ethos of “Protect Serve” can become intertwined with deportation practices, fundamentally altering the relationship between police and communities, particularly immigrant populations. Through meticulous research in Nashville, Tennessee, Armenta exposes the profound implications of programs like 287(g), which deputize local jail personnel as immigration officers.
The book meticulously details Nashville’s participation in the 287(g) program from 2007 to 2012, revealing that over ten thousand individuals were identified for deportation. Crucially, Armenta’s analysis demonstrates that the vast majority of these individuals were not serious criminals, but rather Latino residents often arrested for minor infractions. This crucial distinction challenges the narrative that immigration enforcement primarily targets dangerous criminals, instead highlighting how everyday policing can funnel individuals into the deportation system. Protect, Serve, and Deport compellingly argues that local politics, state legislation, institutional frameworks, and established police procedures collectively contribute to this outcome, sending powerful signals about belonging, race, and citizenship within American society.
Acclaimed by leading scholars, Armenta’s work is praised for its insightful examination of bureaucratic processes, legal frameworks, and local norms that allow law enforcement to distance themselves from the significant consequences of their actions. The book serves as essential reading for understanding the on-the-ground realities of immigration enforcement expansion and its erosion of trust between communities and the police. It underscores the urgent need to critically assess how the mandate to “protect serve” is being interpreted and enacted in an era of heightened immigration control, ultimately impacting the lives of countless individuals and the fabric of American communities.
