A joint initiative which adopted a “zero tolerance” approach that included the criminal prosecution of all unauthorized border-crossings. Rather than immigration cases being heard individually, they were instead tried in large groups — of up to 70 people at a time. Each defendant would have about 90 seconds to plead their case, and if convicted, serve anywhere from 30 days to two years in prison or in a detention center.
An alternative to detention which allowed individuals to be released back to their communities and families while their immigration court hearings proceeded. ISAP was run by another private prison company, the Geo Group, and included check-ins with caseworkers, unannounced home visits and electronic monitoring.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP — and placed them under the jurisdiction of the newly created Department of Homeland Security, or DHS. Prior to this, INS had been under the Department of Labor.
The Bush Administration passed the Patriot Act, which among many other provisions, greatly increased the power of the Attorney General to detain immigrants for longer periods of time – in some cases, indefinitely.
This 85-bed facility housed parents and their children, including young infants.
After one specific case, the government entered into a settlement agreement in the case of Flores et al. v. Lynch, which placed boundaries on the length of time the government might detain immigrant minors and provided for an expected standard for their care.
This set of laws expanded the list of crimes for which both legal and undocumented immigrants could be subject to mandatory detention and deportation.
In Laredo, Texas. It was the first immigration detention facility to detain infants and children.
Before the processing center opened, CCA used local hotels to detain immigrants.
Which significantly expanded U.S. immigration detention by requiring that 10,000 immigration detention beds be located and ready for use at any given time. That same year, the Corrections Corporation of America, or CCA, is formed in Nashville, Tennessee, becoming the world’s first private prison company. Upon its creation, it was immediately awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Justice, or DOJ.
As it has for more than 30 years, CLINIC will fight for the rights of immigrants. CLINIC trains legal representatives who provide high-quality and affordable immigration legal services. We develop and sustain a network of nonprofit programs that serve over 500,000 immigrants every year. We cultivate projects that support and defend vulnerable immigrant populations by:
History has taught us that people who step up can make a difference. We hope you will join us.
Embracing the Gospel value of welcoming the stranger, CLINIC promotes the dignity and protects the rights of immigrants in partnership with a dedicated network of Catholic and community legal immigration programs. We are based out of Silver Spring, Maryland (Washington, D.C. metropolitan area), with an office in Oakland, California, and additional staff working from locations throughout the country. Questions and inquiries can be sent to national@cliniclegal.org.
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