Family Detention During Obama Administration

The Obama administration's massive expansion of family detention began in the summer of 2014 and will incarcerate thousands of asylum-seeking children and mothers who are fleeing extreme violence in the Northern Triangle region of Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador) this year. This practice is a due process and humanitarian disaster and must end. Family detention alone costs $343 per individual per day.

• DHS Advisory Committee on Family Residential Centers Report
• Medical and Mental Health Consequences of Detention
• Due Process Violations in Family Detention
• Detained Mothers Speak for Themselves
• Congressional Calls to #EndFamilyDetention
• AILA Members and Partners Represent Asylum-Seeking Moms and Children

Flores Settlement Agreement on Minors in Immigration Custody

DHS Advisory Committee on Family Residential Centers Report

• AILA Quicktake #177: DHS Committee Recommends End of Family Detention – October 11, 2016
• AILA: Federal Government Must Adopt Own Advisory Committee's Recommendations and End Family Detention – October 8, 2016
• DHS Advisory Committee on Family Residential Centers Report - September 30, 2016

Medical and Mental Health Consequences of Detention

• CARA OCRCL Complaint: Ongoing Concerns Regarding the Detention and Fast-Track Removal of Detained Children and Mothers Experiencing Symptoms of Trauma - March 29, 2016
• DHS OIG To Periodically Inspect CBP and ICE Detention Facilities to monitor DHS compliance with official government health, safety, and detention standards, and to examine conditions for minors at those facilities where minors are present. - March 16, 2016
• GAO Report Finding Additional Actions are Needed to Strengthen Management and Oversight of Detainee Medical Care
• PA Department of Human Service Letter Revoking Berks County Residential Center's Operating License - January 27, 2016
• Temporary Restraining Order Blocks Texas From Licensing Dilley and Karnes - 10/30/15
• Letter to Texas Officials on Licensing Detention Centers in Dilley and Karnes - October 27, 2015
• Sign-on Letter to Texas Officials on Licensing Dilley and Karnes - October 13, 2015
• CRCL Complaint Details How Family Detention Facility Endangers Incarcerated Mothers and Children - October 6, 2015
• Deplorable Medical Treatment at Family Detention Centers - July 30, 2015
• AILA and American Immigration Council: Press Release on Vaccine Overdose of Detained Children - July 4, 2015
• Traumatizing Impact of Family Detention on Mental Health of Children and Mothers - June 30, 2015
• "A Silent Crisis: Children Experiencing Trauma in Family Detention" by Eileen Sterlock, AILA Member and Family Detention Project Volunteer - March 26, 2015

Due Process Violations in Family Detention

• Letter to USCIS and ICE Concerning Due Process Violations at Detention Facilities - December 24, 2015
• Denial of Due Process to Incarcerated Immigrant Families Worsens in Spite of Court Ruling - December 24, 2015
• CARA: Family Detention System Fails Indigenous Language-Speaking Families – December 10, 2015
• Senators Urge DHS to Examine Policies that Limit Access to Legal Counsel for Detained Families - October 23, 2015
• CARA: Coercion and Intimidation of Detained Mothers and Children Must Stop - September 30, 2015
• Letter to ICE Director Saldaña Regarding Recent Release Practices at Dilley and Karnes - July 27, 2015
• CARA: Incarcerated Children and Mothers Denied Due Process and Critical Information Before Release - July 27, 2015
• The Real Alternatives to Family Detention - July 8, 2015
• More than 23,000 people signed the petition and helped obtain the release of Melida and her four-year-old daughter Estrella after 11 months and 2 days of detention.
• "A Promise Unfulfilled" by Stephen Manning, Member of the AILA Board of Governors - March 23, 2015
• "An Impossible Amount, an Impossible Burden," by Victoria Carmona-Fehr, AILA Member and Family Detention Project Volunteer - April 1, 2015

Detained Mothers Speak for Themselves

• AILA Quicktake #172: Berks Hunger Strike Update
• CARA Supports #BerksHungerStrike
• AILA Press Statement: As Detained Mothers Continue Hunger Strike, AILA Urges Administration to End Family Detention
• Mothers to Homeland Security: We Won't Eat Until We Are Released
• Families Detained for Months on End Plead for Their Freedom - February 10, 2016
• Letter from Berks Mothers to Media - Spanish - February 10, 2016
• Letter from Berks Mothers to Media - English - February 10, 2016
• CARA: Central American Mothers Targeted in Immigration Raids and Still Detained Pen Letter to President Obama - January 28, 2016
• Letter from Dilley Mothers to President - Spanish - January 27, 2016
• Letter from Dilley Mothers to President - English - January 27, 2016

Congressional Calls to #EndFamilyDetention

• Statutory Enforcement Report: The State of Civil Rights at Immigration Detention Facilities - September 17, 2015
• Representative Bennie Thompson Expresses Concern on ICE Actions in Family Detention Centers - September 9, 2015
• Senators Leahy and Murray Call on DHS to End Family Detention - July 31, 2015
• 178 House Members Call on DHS to End Family Detention - July 31, 2015
• Rep. Gutiérrez: Read-Out of Meeting With DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson and Delegation of House Democrats Who Visited Texas Family Detention Facilities - June 24, 2015
• Rep. Chu Warns of Lingering Damage Caused By Family Detention - June 24, 2015
• Rep. Roybal-Allard On Trip to Family Detention Facilities - June 24, 2015
• Listen to House Democrats Press Release Recapping Visit to Family Detention Facilities in Texas - June 24, 2015
• View Representatives' Powerful Photos and Video of Dilley and Karnes
• AILA: 33 Senators Call for an End to Family Detention - June 2, 2015
• 136 House Members Call For an End to Family Detention - May 27, 2015
• AILA Leadership Blog: There's Something Happening Here - May 22, 2015
• House Press Conference to #EndFamilyDetention - May 21, 2015
• San Gabriel Valley Tribute: The time to end family detention is now: Judy Chu - May 29, 2015
• The Hill: Stop Locking Up Child Refugees by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) - February 25, 2015
• Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT): Senate floor speech in opposition to family detention funding - February 25, 2015

AILA Members and Partners Represent Asylum-Seeking Mothers and Children

• AILA Member Stephen Manning Presents TEDx Talk on Ending Family Detention - June 29, 2016
• Facebook: Christmas Pleas from Family Detention - Detained mothers and children write letters to the President and First Lady asking to be freed for Christmas - December 2015
• Family Detention: Asylum Grant Examples - September 3, 2015
• AILA: Snapshots from Family Detention
• AILA Leadership Blog: Family Detention
• "Life or Death Consequences: Part 1 and Part 2" by Laura Lichter, CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project Volunteer - June 2, 2015
• Ending Artesia Interactive Report by Stephen Manning
• Sign-On Letter Calling for an End to Family Detention - May 11, 2015
• ABA Letter Expressing Concerns About Expansion of Immigration Detention - March 31, 2015
• National Sign-On Letter Calling on the President to End Family Detention - March 17, 2015
• Letter to President Obama on Family Detention and Executive Action - November 18, 2014
• National Sign-On Letter: 168 NGOs United in Opposition to Family Detention at Dilley, Karnes and Artesia - September 25, 2014

Related Resources

• Barriers to Protection: The Treatment of Asylum Seekers in Expedited Removal
• USCIS data: 87% of detained families have a “credible fear” of persecution.