Austin Kocher

Austin Kocher

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ICE's Enforcement Blitz in Chicago Shows Familiar Pattern: 78% of Arrests are "Low Risk" According to Government's Own Data
New federal disclosures through ongoing Castañon Nava Settlement reveal that Chicago’s immigration crackdown overwhelmingly targeted people who pose…
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Austin Kocher
Trump Administration Conducts 10,067 Immigration Enforcement Flights in Less Than 10 Months
Human Rights First finds ICE conducted record deportation and shuffle flights in ten months, chaotically transferring people between detention centers…
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Austin Kocher
"You Have Arrived in Hell": New Evidence Confirms Torture of Deported Venezuelans in El Salvador
A new HRW report confirms what I warned about in March: Venezuelans deported to El Salvador were systematically tortured. Half had no criminal record…
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Austin Kocher
Data, Stories, and Justice: My Keynote Remarks at the Immigration Law & Justice of New York Gala
Seven key statistics reveal how our immigration system has been weaponized against vulnerable people—and why we must become the institutions that hold…
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Austin Kocher
ICE and EOIR Data Cut Off During Government Shut Down Just as ‘Mass Detention’ Gets $45B Boost
ICE hasn’t produced crucial detention data in over 45 days despite continuing its aggressive—and sometimes illegal—enforcement rampage during the…
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Austin Kocher

October 2025

We Don't Rescue Migrants—We Rescue Shipwreck Victims: What Spain's Maritime Rescue Operations Reveal About Border Politics
In this conversation with Luna Vives, we discuss her new book The Gates of the Sea: Migration and Rescue at the Edges of Europe (University of…
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Austin Kocher
59:38
The Rise of Digital Authoritarianism: Why ICE's A.I.-Powered Deportation Tools Echo Chinese Government Tactics
My latest academic article examines how authoritarian rulers leverage technology to achieve undemocratic ends and what that means for immigration…
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Austin Kocher
Food, Labor, and Migration: A Conversation on Our Interconnected Food System
Yesterday, I hosted Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern and Teresa Mares for a conversation about their new book, Will Work for Food: Labor Across the Food Chain…
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Austin Kocher
56:56
Book Event: In “The Gates of the Sea” Geographer Luna Vives Examines Migrant Search and Rescue in the Mediterranean
Please join me on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 2:00–3:00 PM EST for a virtual discussion with fellow geographer and longtime friend Luna Vives about…
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Austin Kocher
Live Discussion: US Citizens Separated from Spouses w/ Julie Moreno
On Substack Live yesterday, I spoke with Julie Moreno, a U.S. citizen from New Jersey who made the gut-wrenching decision to help her husband of nine…
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Austin Kocher
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Julie Moreno
42:32
Join Me at the 26th Anniversary Gala for Immigration Law & Justice of New York on October 30 (Tickets Available)
In an era of unprecedented attacks on the rights of immigrants and refugees, Immigration Law and Justice of New York (ILJNY) provides competent…
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Austin Kocher
Book Event 📚: Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern and Teresa Mares Discuss "Will Work for Food", a Fresh Look at the Hidden Labor Behind How We Eat
Want ethical food? Start with the workers. "Will Work for Food" exposes worker exploitation across the food system in and makes the case that labor…
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Austin Kocher
© 2025 Austin Kocher
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