Amairani Ximena Mendieta Escalante

Data Colonialism and Racial Futurism in Climate Migration Governance

This project studies how digital tools used in climate migration governance—such as
biometric databases, geospatial dashboards, and predictive models—can reinforce colonial and
racial hierarchies in Latin America. Using approaches from critical data studies, migration
studies, and decolonial theory, Amairani examines how “climate migrants” become racialized data
subjects through humanitarian technologies that often claim to be objective or neutral. The
project highlights that technology is never neutral; every system is built with assumptions that
shape how people are classified, monitored, and managed.

The project objectives are to:
1. Theorize the intersection of data colonialism and racial futurism in digital humanitarian systems.
2. Reveal how predictive models co-produce racialized futures under the guise of neutrality.
3. Contribute to debates on decolonial data justice by proposing community-centered
alternatives for data governance.

The project engages directly with AI by analyzing how algorithms, data extraction practices, and
prediction systems influence migration governance. It also links to wider debates about the
U.S.–Mexico border, where similar digital tools risk scoring systems, facial recognition, and
automated decision-making, are used to control and categorize migrants. By examining these
technologies critically, the project shows how AI can be used not only to analyze borders but
also to question the power structures behind them and imagine more just alternatives.

This work strengthens Amairani's preparation for a career in research, policy, and digital ethics.
This project will support Amairani's academic and professional growth as she develops the first 
approximation of her thesis. The project will deepen Amairani's knowledge in decolonial
theory, digital humanities, and AI governance areas that are central for her future work in
research and advocacy. For her community, this project brings forward Latin American
perspectives that are often missing in discussions about AI and climate migration. By studying
how humanitarian technologies can reproduce racial inequalities, Amairani aims to support migrant
advocacy groups, community organizations, and academic spaces that work toward fairer and
more accountable digital tools. Highlighting models of data sovereignty and community-based
governance can help empower local groups affected by climate displacement and border
surveillance.