All over the world—from Greece to Mexico, Kenya to Palestine—borders have turned into ground zero for unregulated tech trials. Automated systems for “migration management” have sprung up, monitoring people on the move with little to no oversight or accountability. These technologies, from drones and surveillance towers to AI-driven predictive analytics, are often cloaked in the guise of security. But the human cost is staggering.
Instead of enjoying their right to migrate, people face relentless surveillance. Desperate to escape detection, some even go to the extreme of burning their fingertips, while others hide in treacherous areas to evade pushbacks. Many end up in refugee camps where conditions are dire, or they live on the streets because algorithms deny them asylum. As refugee lawyer Petra Molnar notes in her book, The Walls Have Eyes, technology has transformed borders into sites of fear and violence, leading many to confront a brutal reality.
Molnar argues that borders are both real and artificially constructed—historically created through colonialism and ongoing practices of exclusion. The tech that bolsters these borders can become a tool for oppression, rather than the rescue or help many imagine. “This tech could serve different purposes,” she says. “Drones could save lives at sea, yet they often become instruments of control, aimed at keeping out those deemed undesirable or threatening.”
She points out that in criminal law, you start as innocent until proven guilty, but the reverse is true for refugees—proving one’s need for protection becomes the individual’s burden. This backdrop breeds an environment where high-risk technology operates unchecked.
Molnar describes the dehumanization inherent in treating migrants as mere data points—eye scans, fingerprints—removing their stories and humanity from the decision-making process. “When you look at someone only as a number or a data point, you strip them of their complexities,” she explains. This detachment enables violence to happen far removed from the view of those perpetuating it, and the systems in place make accountability difficult, if not impossible.
The way technology interacts with border politics perpetuates biases. AI tools reflect existing prejudices, cementing inequalities in how decisions are made for those seeking safety. “People become boxed into rigid categories,” Molnar says. “This makes it easy to treat them as ‘other’ and unworthy of compassion.”
Even though surveillance technologies claim to create humane immigration processes, statistics tell another story. Deaths at the US-Mexico border have tripled since the introduction of smart borders—technologies touted as advancements in migration management but failing to deter dangerous crossings. Instead, enhanced surveillance pushes people toward riskier routes.
With more funding directed toward border enforcement technologies, humanitarian rhetoric often disguises harmful practices. Funding that’s framed as providing humanitarian support can enable oppressive regimes and empower actors who perpetrate violence against migrants. This is seen in the way international agencies collaborate with border enforcement in countries like Libya, aiding a system that often disregards human life.
Despite the bleak reality, Molnar notes there are ways to push back against the cycle of violence and dehumanization. Calls for stronger regulations on border technologies are growing, with advocates emphasizing transparency and accountability. Localized efforts, like cities banning facial recognition, offer a blueprint for opposition.
At the same time, Molnar insists that we should focus on solutions that uplift the voices of those affected. Developing tech that genuinely aids individuals’ journeys, rather than serving oppressive state agendas, is crucial. She believes the key lies in seeing each other as fully human and leading from a place of understanding rather than fear.
While the current systems can seem insurmountable, people continue to resist—launching search and rescue missions across the Mediterranean, providing aid in treacherous border areas, and offering shelter to those fleeing. These acts, often at great personal risk, remind us that human connection and solidarity still thrive in the face of adversity.
