IMMIGRATION DETENTION IN THE U.S.

An Exploding Detention System

By Kirsten Luce for The Washington Post

The Willacy Detention Center, Raymondville, TX

An Exploding Detention System

On any given day, ICE detains over 33,000 immigrants; this is more than triple the number of beds since 1996.

Last year 380,000 immigrants were detained, costing taxpayers $1.7 billion at an average of $122 a day per bed.

Nearly 2 million individuals have passed through immigration detention facilities since 2003.

ICE uses over 350 facilities across the country to detain immigrants

ICE owns and operates 7 facilities ICE houses immigrants at 16 facilities

contracted with private prison corporations 67% of detained immigrants are housed in

county and local jails

An Exploding Detention System

The Washington Post has calculated that “with roughly 1.6 million immigrants in some stage of immigration proceedings, the government holds more detainees a night than Clarion Hotels have guests, operates nearly as many vehicles as Greyhound has buses and flies more people each day than do many small U.S. airlines.”

An Exploding Detention System

Who Profits? ICE’s budget rose from $2.4 billion in 2002 to $5

billion in 2008.

In 2007, Corrections Corporation of America had record earnings of nearly $1.5 billion.

The explosive growth in the detention business has drawn many cities and counties to partner with ICE and private contractors in exchange for lucrative federal contracts.

Where are Immigrants Detained Near You?

Detention Watch Network’s Map

www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/dwnmap

Who is In Detention?

Both undocumented and documented immigrants, many who have been in the US for years

Survivors of torture, asylum seekers Families Unaccompanied children Other vulnerable groups

Conditions in Detention

Medical Conditions in Detention

A 2009 Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center report, “Dying for Decent Care,” details often appalling medical conditions.

The most vulnerable immigrants, the physically sick and the mentally ill, have been denied proper treatment and have suffered abuse.

Over 114 immigrants have died in custody since 2004.

Legal Access in Detention

Immigrants in ICE custody are going through civil administrative proceedings with far fewer legal protections than criminal defendants and no guaranteed right to counsel.

As a result, 84% of detained immigrants are unrepresented in immigration court.

Access issues: poor phone and mail systems, inadequate law libraries, limited visits, no basic legal orientation.

Detention Transfers

Transfers from one facility to another interfere with access to counsel and family visits.

In 1999, one out of every five (19.6%) detainees was moved from one detention facility to another. In 2008 it was up to over half (52.4%)

In 2008 one out of every four detainees (24%) was subject to multiple transfers.

Source: http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/220/

A study conducted by the Vera Institute for Justice from 1997 to 2000 found that alternatives, at $12/day, saved the federal government almost $4,000 per person while showing a 91% appearance rate for individuals at their court hearings.

In August 2010, DWN released a report on Community-Based Alternatives to Detention. Link: http://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/ATDReport

ICE spends only 3.7% of its budget on alternatives programs and uses overlypunitive models.

Alternatives to Detention

How Are DWN Members Responding?

Dignity, Not DetentionReduce spendingRepeal mandatory detentionAlternatives to detentionEnding local law enforcement programsEnd human rights abuses in detention

DETENTION WATCH

NETWORK

For more information, visit our website at

www.detentionwatchnetwork.org