From Detention to Liberation

On the eve of perhaps the most consequential election in recent memory, philanthropy finds itself grappling with the challenge of making critical funding decisions in the face of significant uncertainty. There is little question however of the value and timeliness of pro-immigrant investments given that ICE and DHS enforcement and detention practices have and will continue to pose serious threats to racial justice, community health, and our democratic norms. 

Though allegations of forced hysterectomies, insufficient health and hygiene practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread allegations of child sexual abuse, and the use of cages during family separation have rightly garnered significant media attention in recent years, the reality is that an abusive posture toward BIPOC immigrants has long been a feature of our nation’s enforcement apparatus. 

Regardless of who sits in the White House in 2021, philanthropic investments targeting detention abuses represent an evergreen strategy resonant with our sector’s broader goals of building healthy, safe, and equitable communities for all. Join GCIR for a discussion with leaders in the immigrant rights movement challenging detention conditions, securing the release of detained individuals, and advancing liberatory frameworks.