How we made the first comprehensive map of deaths along the US border’s “virtual wall” began with a simple question: why did so many people die near government surveillance towers meant to track and apprehend them?

Our 15-month investigation, part of Dying on Camera, a collaboration between MIT Technology Review and Times of San Diego, delved into the failures of border surveillance technology and the stories of those who perish in the borderlands. By analyzing thousands of pages of government documents, visiting the border multiple times, and interviewing over 45 individuals, including government officials and humanitarian volunteers, we uncovered the truth behind these deaths.

The investigation relied on identifying the locations and times of migrant deaths, as well as the installation of US Customs and Border Protection towers. We merged existing datasets with new records obtained from over a dozen agencies. Texas, with its lack of online record-keeping, posed significant challenges. We submitted public records requests to 17 counties, receiving usable records from 14, but faced delays and costs.

The process highlighted the gaps in recording migrant deaths, with some counties not tracking whether a person was believed to be crossing the border. This led to slower, more costly, and error-prone record-pulling. Despite these obstacles, our map and analysis offer a stark look at the real cost of this technology.