Concerns Grow Over Rapid Expansion of Immigration Detention System

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Analysts and advocates are sounding the alarm over the rapid growth of the U.S. immigration detention system, which has expanded by 75% in the past 12 months. With nearly half of detainees having no criminal convictions, the system appears to be shifting from enforcement to control, accumulating people faster than it can process them through the courts. Experts warn this could lead to a new mass detention crisis, with the detained population potentially reaching 100,000 by 2026 if current trends continue.

Why it matters

The rapid expansion and changing composition of the immigration detention system has raised concerns that it is transforming from a processing mechanism into a mass detention apparatus, with the potential for severe human rights abuses. Experts warn that once a detention system reaches a certain scale and momentum, it becomes very difficult to reverse course without major public, legal, or political intervention.

The details

Data shows the immigration detention population has grown 75% in the past 12 months, with nearly half of detainees having no criminal convictions. The system is accumulating people faster than it can process them, with more entering detention each month than being released. This is straining the court system, which has a backlog of 3.38 million pending cases and has lost over 100 judges in the past year. Asylum seekers who have passed credibility screenings are being held for an average of 183 days, up 25% in just 3 months.

• The immigration detention population has grown 75% in the past 12 months.
• The average detention time for asylum seekers who passed credibility screenings has climbed 25% in the past 3 months, now standing at 183 days.
• The immigration court system has a backlog of 3.38 million pending cases and has lost over 100 judges in the past year.

What’s next

Lawyers have filed over 18,000 habeas petitions challenging detentions, and members of Congress have sued to inspect facilities. Community resistance is also growing, with residents in several cities speaking out against the expansion of detention centers.