Research

When looking at the history of detention centers, we can see how the creation of these centers were racially motivated. Detention Centers were originally created after excluding Chinese laborers because of their race, and then were later used to target Mexicans. In 1981, Ronald Reagan passed a detention policy for specifically Haitian and Cuban refugees.

In the 20th century, detention centers started to become more inhumane, largely due to private prisons. In 1983, the first private prison company was created, called Corrections Corporation of America. In 1985, CCA built the first detention center that detained children. Following the creation of private prisons, more and more families were detained, and more laws were passed that targeted immigrants, making it easy for ICE to legally keep them in centers.

In the 21st century, there continues to be more cases of violence in detention centers. There have been many reported cases of sexual abuse to immigrants in these centers. One of these cases occurred in 2011, “the detainee said that a contract guard sexually assaulted her and then threatened her if she reported the attack. Fearing for her safety, she requested to be deported as soon as possible, abandoning her fight to stay with her four children, who are U.S. citizens” (Rentz, Catherine. "Illegal Immigrants Detained and Abused").