Unlocking Human Dignity: A Plan to Transform the US Immigrant Detention System

Migration and Refugee Services/United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Center for Migration Studies

06/2017

The overwhelming majority of persons in the custody of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have been detained in prisons, jails and other secure facilities where they are subject to standards designed for criminal defendants and, in many ways, treated more harshly than criminals. The recommendation of this article is to dismantle the current system and be replaced with a network of supervised release, case management, and community support programs, designed to ensure court appearances.