Immigration Enforcement as Control, Not Safety
Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian activist who spent 368 days in ICE detention after protesting the genocide in Gaza, argues that America's immigration enforcement is about control, not safety. Diagnosed with epilepsy due to medical neglect in detention, she states, "My body has become a permanent record of the cruelty of the American immigration system." Kordia calls for abolishing private prisons and ending illegal administrative detention and deportations to dangerous countries.
Immigration Courts Need Independence
Retired immigration judge Denise Noonan Slavin asserts that the Trump administration is dismantling judicial independence and due process in immigration courts. Over 100 judges have been fired without cause, and remaining judges are pressured to dismiss asylum cases without full hearings. Slavin emphasizes that due process protects everyone, including U.S. citizens mistakenly detained. She advocates for immigration courts to be independent of the executive branch.
Only the People Save the People
Pablo Alvarado, co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, notes that since the mid-1980s, immigration politics have been ruled by lies, especially post-9/11. White nationalist lies about terrorism and crime have poisoned politics, leading to internment camps and a federal police force. Alvarado places hope in communities organizing bottom-up reform: protecting against raids, protesting ICE prisons, and building a better world. "Only the people save the people," he says.
Accompaniment in Immigration Courts
Father Fabian Arias of Saint Peter's Church describes accompanying immigrants to court, witnessing fear and family separation. His church runs a legal clinic and serves over 850 families weekly. He calls for a "conversion of the heart" from fear to encounter, citing Matthew 25: "I was a stranger and you welcomed me." Arias hopes Americans learn to see one another as one human family.
The Modern Detention System Is Recent
Silky Shah, executive director of Detention Watch Network, explains that the modern immigration detention system began in the early 1980s with Haitian migrants and now detains half a million people annually. She argues for ending detention and investing in education, housing, and healthcare instead. "No matter where someone came from, their life is of value," she says.
Legal but Unjust Enforcement
Political geographer Austin Kocher notes that less than 1% of detained immigrants have serious criminal convictions. He criticizes the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts as taking advantage of decades-old laws. Kocher urges Congress to revisit immigration laws annually to respond to the real world, balancing enforcement with humane pathways.
The Opposite of a Camp Is Community
Journalist John Washington emphasizes that borders are not natural but tools, and immigration camps are a recent invention. He argues that ending detention would limit mass deportations, and local community pressure can shut down camps. "The opposite of a camp is community," he says, urging solidarity with immigrants and neighbors to build a better future.
