The Normalization of Detention Centers in the United States

Since the beginning of 2022, 19,948 immigrants have been detained in the United States. Mistreatment of Latin American immigrants occurring across the 215 detention centers located in the United States has grown completely out of control in the more recent years. The U.S. detention system is motivated by racism and superiority complexes of one race over another, leading to human rights abuses committed against Latin American immigrants. This Senior Thesis explores what a detention center is, the presence of detention centers in the United States, the power structure of ICE and other employees, with personal stories and accounts of detainees to provide legitimate proof to claims of mistreatment and human rights violations. The analysis of how detention centers work in the United States is essential in order for U.S. citizens to understand what is truly happening and to ensure that detainees can return as valued members of society.