Infographic: Do We Need to Detain 34,000 Immigrants Every Day?

Seventy percent of detained immigrants are subject to mandatory detention; the other 30 percent are detained to meet the quota.

Immigration

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Part of a Series

Congress’ Costly Detention Quota

Congress’ Costly Detention Quota

A congressional mandate requires that Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, maintain bed space to detain 34,000 immigrants per day at an annual cost of more than $2 billion. This arbitrary number is unrelated to the agency’s actual bed-space needs, wasting taxpayer dollars and placing immigrants at risk of abuse and mistreatment in detention facilities. In order to fulfill the quota, ICE is detaining people who would otherwise be eligible for release.

Sharita Gruberg is a Policy Analyst for LGBT Progress at the Center for American Progress.

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