"Crimmigration" and the War on Terror

The last ten years have witnessed a growing criminalization of immigrants through a combination of immigration policies that turn what were once civil matters into criminal prosecutions and criminal justice policies that subject immigrants to heightened levels of policing, prosecution, incarceration and referral into the deportation system.  Increasingly, the "war on terror" is being used as justification for targeting immigrant communities. 

This panel addressed the links between the criminal justice system, immigration policy, and the war on terror and explored different strategies to combat this trend, identified the successes and challenges in the field, and highlighted the possible next steps to move forward.

Moderated by Antonio Maciel, Director of OSI's U.S. Justice Fund, the panel included:

• Andrea Black, Soros Justice Fellow; Director, Detention Watch Network;
• Deepali Gokhale, Organizer, Racial Justice Campaign Against Operation Meth Merchant;
• Judy Greene, Soros Justice Fellow; Co-director, Justice Strategies;
• Benita Jain, Soros Justice Fellow; Attorney, NYSDA Immigrant Defense Project;
• Subhash Kateel, OSI NYC Community Fellow; Organizer, Families for Freedom.

The panel was part of the 2006 meeting of the Soros Justice Fellows. The Soros Justice Fellowships program hosts an annual meeting each spring to welcome the new cohort of fellows; offer opportunities for intellectual exchange, technical assistance, and networking; and to cultivate a community of advocates, lawyers, journalists,scholars, and others who comprise the fellows network.