Does the U.S. Have Secret Immigrant Detention Centers?

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Monday, December 21, 2009

Does the U.S. Have Secret Immigrant Detention Centers?

James Pendergraph

Getting arrested in the United States on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant can result in “disappearing” into a clandestine maze of detention centers run by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) service. An investigation by Amnesty International uncovered at least 186 unlisted and unmarked field offices operated by ICE used to temporarily house suspects. The secret detention centers are often located in suburban office parks, without any awareness by locals of what’s really taking place in their communities. Because the centers are not subject to ICE Detention Standards, they often lack beds or showers for detainees.

But perhaps the most ominous aspect to ICE’s secret detention system is the attitude of government officials running it. Last year, at a conference of police and sheriffs, then-executive director of ICE’s Office of State and Local Coordination, James Pendergraph, assured law enforcement: “If you don’t have enough evidence to charge someone criminally but you think he’s illegal, we can make him disappear.”

-Noel Brinkerhoff

America's Secret ICE Castles (by Jacqueline Stevens, The Nation)

Jailed Without Justice (Amnesty International) (pdf)

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Jennyfeer 12 years ago

i have personally heard prsdeeint on tv.pertaining to the issue of guat.jail dententions.the prsdeeint stressed the need to preserve the diginity of the democracy of united states. there had been some horrible reports of the torture on the deatiness and its visuals once published could naturally increase the hate content against the united states by the afected families.prsdeeint was more concerned tht the laws should niether be allowed to be transgressed in such method as would make the law agency emotional to act in execess of its use and at the deteriment of country.prsdeeint rightly found tht some of the conjuctures were floated on the fear psychosis of terror threats which were unfounded and baseless rendering harm to the emotional and security content of the citizens of america.under the spirit ofamerican constitution the relaxation otherwise long due were duly recognised and applied by the prsdeeint to uphold the diginity of democracy and concept of justice popularily known in america concerning the trails of detainees.thx

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Does the U.S. Have Secret Immigrant Detention Centers?

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