Between ‘Good Migrants’ and Redeemed Agents: Exploring Migrant and Border Patrol Portrayals in The Line Becomes a River (2018)

Abstract

Francisco Cantú’s The Line Becomes a River (2018) is a commercially and critically acclaimed memoir. This paper analyzes its portrayal of both migrants and Border Patrol agents. The first section draws on historical and theoretical frameworks to highlight how the “good migrant” trope—emphasizing whiteness, assimilation of American culture and economic contribution—emerged and has persisted since the formation of the country. It concludes that this trope deeply influences Cantú’s portrayal of migrants, and reflects on the consequences of this depiction. The second section examines the portrayal of Border Patrol agents and argues that, although Cantú is able to capture some nuances of his colleagues’ actions and, to a certain extent, expose the institutional practices design to dehumanize migrants, the text ultimately implies that true empathy and reform rely on an individual’s personal experiences—like his own. This curtails the memoir’s broader critical impact and constraints its contributions to a deeper debate on the U.S. government’s institutional practices towards migration.