Immigration Jails – Civil or Criminal? 

detention center

ICE cop

In the U.S.A. migrants seeking asylum are being treated like criminals.  They are housed in detention centers operated by private prison companies.  These are the same corporate entities that run prisons for convicted persons. Immigration detention is an aspect of civil law not criminal law. Yet somehow, immigration processing and prison systems go hand in hand in America today. It has been labelled “crimmigration,” an unfortunate interlocking relationship between civil immigration law and criminal law. 

Private prison companies like GeoGroup enjoy their largest contracts with ICE, the enforcement arm of the Department of Homeland Security.  In 2019, this 2.6 billion company’s profits are at a record high. 

Here is one critique: Elvia Arriola and Virginia Raymond, Migrants Resist Discrimination and Dehumanization in Private For Profit Detention Centers (2017).

CLICK HERE for Digital Humanities Map of Detention Center locations and federal monies obtained by Congressional Representatives for their construction.

Immigration Jails