Detention

A Closer Look at Deaths in ICE Detention Facilities
On April 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the death of 61 year-old Salvador Vargas at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA which occurred on April 4. Deaths in ICE custody are far too common, and particularly devastating in detention centers with a… Read More

States Lead the Way in Banning Immigration Detention Centers
State governments are leading the way on eliminating a blemish from their communities—immigration detention centers. As some state governments begin their legislative sessions, bills attempting to ban certain immigration detention centers have been introduced in multiple states. Following the lead of states like New Jersey and Illinois, New… Read More

6 Firsthand Stories That Reveal the Problem with Family Detention
Written by Atenas Burrola, Pro Bono Manager and Crystal Massey, National Pro Bono Coordinator for the Afghan Project at the American Immigration Council The Biden administration is reportedly considering reopening family detention. This is horrific news—news that left us in tears. Between the two of us, we dedicated countless… Read More

This Is Pretty Simple, Mr. President: Don’t Restart Family Detention
The Biden administration is reportedly planning to detain large numbers of immigrant families again this spring. This is part of the administration’s plan to replace Title 42 with a new policy that will make it very difficult for the majority of migrants crossing the border to qualify for asylum… Read More

Supreme Court Pauses Oral Arguments in Title 42 Case – What’s next?
In December 2022, the Supreme Court stepped in to keep Title 42 (the pandemic health policy that has allowed the United States to carry out over 2.5 million expulsions since March 2020) in effect, after a DC court had overturned the policy. The… Read More

Family Reunification Task Force Reports Nearly 1,000 Children Remain Separated
Nearly 1,000 children separated from their families at the southern border by the Trump administration remain separated to this day, according to a Biden administration fact sheet released on February 2. The fact sheet marks two years since President Biden’s creation of the Interagency Task Force… Read More

Who Is in ICE Detention Right Now? New Data Provides a Snapshot of Sprawling Detention System
Recently published data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) provides insight into who ICE is detaining and for how long. The results show that the majority of noncitizens are being held in the rural South, and many are subject to fast-track removal proceedings. But still, many people remain locked… Read More

Biden Administration Expands Use of Title 42 and Proposes New Asylum Ban, In Exchange for Creation of Alternate Pathways for Migration and New Methods of Seeking Asylum at Ports of Entry
The American Immigration Council responds to new announced a series of border policy reforms, including a variant of President Trump's asylum "Transit Ban", from the Biden administration. Read More

ICE Makes Paying Bond Extremely Difficult. This Lawsuit Wants to Change That.
One might think that posting bond in the immigration system is a straightforward process. Immigration authorities set bond. A person pays the bond amount, and the incarcerated person is released. In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth. The process for posting bond is unclear across the board, resulting… Read More

A Guide to Obtaining Detention Records
Our comprehensive guide on obtaining detention records provides a brief overview of FOIA requirements, information about the types of records government agencies possess, tips about how to request those records, and an overview of what to expect after submitting the request. Read More
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