The Harsh World of Offshore Borders

There are the borders that register quickly as borders—red, metal spikes jutting from dusty hills, glinting spirals of razor wire—and then there are borders that don’t. There are borders roiling in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, where naval and coast guard vessels intercept thousands of people fleeing danger in makeshift boats. There are the borders of refugee camps and detention centers where blocked migrants are sealed in geographic limbo, far from the destinations they hope to reach. Less dramatically, there is the quiet border at the airport, stretching between you and the airline clerk who needs to see your visa, a document that, if you’re seeking asylum, you probably do not have.