Immigrant Families Behind Bars (encore)

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Sandra's family rushes to embrace her after her release from detention. Credit: Valeria Fernandez

Immigrant detention is the fastest-growing form of incarceration in the U.S., with more than 30-thousand detainees behind bars on any given day. Reports of rampant abuse and negligent medical care are widespread. And once again politicians, lawyers and human rights groups are calling for comprehensive immigration reform.

On this edition, we hear the story of an immigrant family torn apart after an immigration raid in Phoenix, Arizona. And we report on a successful grassroots effort to change policies at “Hutto,” a family detention center in Texas.

The first segment of this show is part of a special collaboration between National Radio Project and Feet in Two Worlds, a project bringing the work of immigrant journalists to public radio. To read more about how this story was produced, take a look at Valeria Fernández’s reporter’s notebook.

Thanks to contributing producers Valeria Fernández  & Matt Gossage. Much appreciation to the Omnia Foundation for funding for this program.

Featuring:

Kathy, 9-year-old U.S. Citizen; Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Sheriff; Salvador Reza, PUENTE organizer Sandra, Kathy’s mother; Griselda, Kathy’s aunt; Marina, Kathy’s aunt; Sarah Myklebust, Phoenix Repeal Coalition member. Denia and Karen, Former Immigrant Detainees; Frances Valdez, Immigration Attorney; Michel Brane, Women’s Commission on Refugee Women and Children Director; Jose Orta, Local LULAC President. Alison Parker, Human Rights Watch U.S. Program Deputy Director.

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Kathy’s Story

Feet in Two World’s Reporter Valeria Fernández tells the story of an immigrant family torn apart after an immigration raid in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Hutto

Independent Journalist Matt Gossage reports on a successful grassroots effort to change policies at “Hutto,” a family detention center in Texas.

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Immigration Family Detention Policy

Tena Rubio interviews Alison Parker, the Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch U.S. Program.

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Kathy Testifies before Congress in Tucson, AZ

Audio Extra: Kathy testified in front of an ad-hoc committee held by AZ Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D) in Tucson on June 10, 2010 at the Capitol. The purpose of the hearing was to explore the potential impact of SB 1070 on women and children. Valeria Fernández provided this audio.

For more information:

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)- (National)

Detention Watch Network

Grassroots Leadership (National)

PUENTE Arizona

University of Texas-Austin Immigration Clinic- Austin, TX

Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children

Articles, Blogs, Films, Reports

“Arizona Immigrant Women Testify in Congress Against SB 1070″
An article by Valeria Fernández

Business of Detention (Blog)
Cracking Down on Immigration and Locking Up Profits

Familias Unidas por la Esperanza (Families United for Hope)

Mother Jones Blog
“When Your Mother is Deported” (Video)

“The Least of These”
Family Detention in America
A Documentary Film by Clark and Jesse Lyda

Texans United For Families (Blog)

Credits: The first segment, “Kathy’s Story,” excerpted a report on Joe Arpaio produced by Verónica Sánchez (Channel 12).

Tags: globalization and trade, immigration, labor, Prison

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 at 6:35 pm and is filed under Globalization Desk, Labor Desk, Prison Desk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.