Reforming Migration Detention
States are increasingly turning to detention as a first option for the management of irregular migration. Hundreds of thousands of migrants are detained worldwide each year as they await deportation or asylum. Over the past 20 years, countries including Indonesia, Tunisia, Mozambique, and Guatemala have begun detaining migrants in increasing numbers.
In response, advocates, lawyers, and civil society organizations are working to promote norms related to detention practices and the right to liberty. But could a focus on improving the conditions of detention actually help rationalize governments’ use of the practice and result in an increase in the numbers of people being detained? What may be the risks and unintended consequences of alternative detention models?
In a recent discussion, panelists addressed potential inherent tensions around civil society’s response to a system characterized by inhumane conditions, lack of transparency, and lack of state accountability.
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