Border Patrol's

Arellano: The banality of evil in the Border Patrol's secret anti-immigrant slur

For many years, Border Patrol agents have used the word "tonk" as a slang term for undocumented immigrants. The word imitates the sound of a hit, like a baton striking someone. Critics say the term shows a casual acceptance of violence against migrants. The article links this language to the idea of the "banality of evil," meaning ordinary people can do harmful things without thinking.