Alternatives To Detention
Allison, Undergraduate Student (UM-Dearborn) Custom and Boarder Protection (CBP) agents on the United States southern boarder are not properly trained to respond to crisis which results in an outbreak of violence and many immigrants being detained. When in the United States immigrants are met with the Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) officers who also fail to provide humane and adequate detention centers. These detention centers do not provide immigrants with a fair and just system and are not properly given due process. The United States needs to defund immigration detention centers because they violate human rights, lack access to the outside world, and they have no limitation to the length an immigrant spends in detention. To dive deeper into this problem, let’s look at how detention centers violate human rights. Since 2003, there has been at least 200 deaths that have been accounted for in these detention centers. This can be due to the poor living conditions that immigrants are subjected to, such as over crowed living spaces, not given proper meals, and not living in a sanitary environment. Another problem with detention centers is that once an immigrant is detained and put in a center, they no longer have access to the outside world. Not only does this mean they have no contact with their friends or family, but they also don’t have access to legal counsel. Them not having access to legal counsel goes against proper due process and it takes away any chance for them to fight the detention in court. Another problem with these centers is that there is no limitation as to how long an immigrant could be subjected to staying there. An immigrant could be there for only 6 months or they could be there for more than 4 years, this is inhumane and doesn’t serve the immigrant justice. Most of the problems around these detention centers goes hand in hand with how they violate human rights which shows how the United States does not have a proper and just immigration system. Instead of detention centers we could create community-based alternatives, this would mean having volunteers within the community house these immigrants instead of them being in detention centers, until other legal action is taken on their case. This is more humane to the immigrants and puts them in a safer and more stable environment. This is also a cheaper alternative to detention centers, and it is a way for immigrant families to stay together and not lose each other due to a disorganized system. Another alternative is for the United States to create a more effective immigration system. This is obviously a more complex issue at hand, but for starters some possible reform would be setting a time limit for how long an immigrant can be detained. This also makes it more humane to the immigrant and is also more cost efficient. Another change would be giving the immigrants access to legal counsel, this would allow them to fight the detention in court, but it also doesn’t strip them from any of their rights and allows them proper due process. Lastly, there could be specific programs put into place such as The Family Case Management Program. This program is an individualized case management service for families. The families enrolled in this program do not wear ankle monitors, the cost for each family is significantly lower and the appearance rate in court went up to 97%. Unfortunately, this program was terminated during the Trump administration, but it’s creating programs such as these that could build a more adequate immigration system. By the United States defunding detention centers and switching to alternative solutions, it would make for a more humane and just system to the immigrants, allow them to proper legal access and due process and also put limitations to the length an immigrant spends in detention. References: 1. Anon. 2018. “Our Solution.” Freedom for Immigrants. Retrieved March 19, 2021 (https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/our-solution). 2. Anon. 2018. “The Problem.” Freedom for Immigrants. Retrieved March 19, 2021 (https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/the-problem). 3. Anon. 2020. “The Real Alternatives to Detention.” Justice for Immigrants. Retrieved March 19, 2021 (https://justiceforimmigrants.org/what-we-are-working-on/immigrant-detention/real-alternatives-detention/). 4. Anon. n.d. “Immigration Detention & Enforcement.” National Immigrant Justice Center. Retrieved March 19, 2021 (https://immigrantjustice.org/issues/immigration-detention-enforcement).
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