MIRA, Amnesty International, ACLU, and Others Protest Quadrupling of Immigrant Detention

On Friday, more than 300 people protested the dramatic rise of immigrant detention in New England, where the average number of currently detained immigrants has tripled, and the U.S., where that number has quadrupled.

"It is time for us to stand up and say enough," said Eva Millona, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), who called on Congress to create a path to legal residency for the 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. "The cycle must end."

Not only have the numbers increased, but conditions have continued to be deplorable, with many immigrants in detention lacking adequate health care and access to legal representation. Unfortunately, an alarming 74 immigrants have died in detention over the past five years.

And while it is trivial in the battle for human rights and dignity, detention is not cost-effective. Detention averages $94/night, while other alternatives to detention cost a mere $13.