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Title
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Not All Borders Look the Same
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Description
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Borders are often imagined as uniform lines on a map, yet they are lived as a hierarchy of mobility. This composite image juxtaposes three distinct border experiences: the “invisible” border of air travel into the United States, the orderly land crossing between the United States and Canada, and the fortified barrier along the U.S.–Mexico border.
As a graduate student studying international affairs and a Designated School Official (DSO) working with international students, I observe firsthand how U.S. immigration policy produces unequal access to movement based on nationality, documentation, and perception.
By placing these borders side by side, this image reveals that “the border” is not a single place, but a system of political and social control embedded in infrastructure and policy. These photographs challenge viewers to consider how privilege and perception dictate whether the American entry experience is felt as a gateway of welcome or a wall exclusion.
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Date
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2026-01-24
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Creator
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Taghvaiee, Tiffany
