In the novel The Leavers by Lisa Ko, Polly, Deming’s mother, is detained by US immigration authorities in New York City and sent to an immigration detention center in the fictional Ardsleyville, Texas for 14 months. The novel depicts her treatment in the camp and the insufferable living conditions she endures. She is left in an unheated room with lights that are always on and given minimal time to eat and go outside. Her time at the camp ends after she endures physical and mental injuries and is deported back to China.
While this is a fictional novel, it is based on the true stories of millions of immigrants who were stripped from their families because of immigration status. Deportation in the United States has been increasing at an alarming rate. Between 1892 to 1997, approximately 2.1 million immigrants were deported from the United States. Approximately 2 million immigrants were deported during George W. Bush’s presidency. Approximately 3.2 million immigrants were deported during Barack Obama’s presidency (Yearbook 2019). Immigration detention centers are not new either. The United States’ first immigration detention center was established at Ellis Island in the 1890s. In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan made the first major revision to US immigration by establishing the Interdiction Agreement, which led to the establishment of Guantanamo Bay as a detention center (Ellis Island: States of Incarceration).
Centers like the one depicted in The Leavers are operated by the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division of I.C.E. There are 961 detention sites across the United States and Puerto Rico, but only 8 centers are directly operated by I.C.E. The majority of detention centers that are contracted out and include juvenile detention centers, shelters, and state & local jails (Immigration Detention Centres).
“Yearbook 2019.” Department of Homeland Security, 28 Oct. 2020, www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics/yearbook/2019.
“Ellis Island: States of Incarceration.” Ellis Island | States of Incarceration, Humanities Action Lab, statesofincarceration.org/story/ellis-island.
“Immigration Detention Centres.” Global Detention Project | Mapping Immigration Detention around the World, Global Detention Project, www.globaldetentionproject.org/detention-centres/list-view.
This is great information and how many people have been deported is insane to think about. The camps that they are held in is horrible and not a experienced that immigrants have to see and have because they cross to try and have and experience freedom but they have to go through such pain and agony that it changes their perspective and tells their family and friends back at home about it. The pain and agony that they go through can cause major P.T.S.D that it would never fully leave the individual and stay with them. With this information we can understand and know the knowledge the type of pain that they go through and the time period for how long it last just for freedom and a new home.
My only comment is wow to all of this. I cant believe deportation’s facts and stats. People never think about the hard ways they are trying to change their life around. Deportation should never be the only answer.