Jason De León

Jason De León is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, renowned for his ethnographic research on migration and border dynamics. A MacArthur Fellow and 2024 National Book Award winner, his work centers on human smuggling networks along the U.S.-Mexico border.

His research interests include Migration Studies, Border Anthropology, and the socio-political contexts of Human Smuggling, with emphasis on Latin American migration patterns and ethnographic methodologies.

De León's acclaimed book Soldiers and Kings (2024)—recognized among the year's best by The New York Times, Time, and NPR—synthesizes seven years of fieldwork with smugglers. It challenges stereotypes about migration while documenting systemic violence and resilience.

Awards and Honors:

• National Book Award for Nonfiction (2024)
• MacArthur Fellowship

He leads no specific lab per the available information, but his research involves extensive field collaboration with migrant communities and smuggling operatives.