El Sueño Americano
The American Dream: Photographs by Tom Kiefer
El Sueño Americano is a photographic essay of the discarded personal effects and belongings of migrants and smugglers apprehended by Border Patrol agents, discarded while being processed at a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Facility near the U.S./Mexico border in southern Arizona. These personal effects and belongings represented their choice of what was essential for them to bring as they crossed the border to start or continue their life in the U.S. Keifer’s intent is to explore the humanity of the migrants who risk their lies crossing through the desert and to create a personal connection for the viewer to a migrant and their hope for a better life. Kiefer continues to document the vast archive of personal belongings that he recovered between 2007 through August 2014 and produce prints for display to foster community dialogue surrounding the state of migration and the millions of undocumented and essential workers living in a state of fear of our government.
