As the immigration crisis escalates, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) officials have responded with several measures designed to reduce illegal immigration. In particular, INS has increased the use of detention for purpose of deterrence, a policy that has stirred controversy among immigration experts. Critics of INS policy insist that for most undocumented immigrants, detention is unnecessary; moreover, critics charge that conditions of confinement are exceedingly harsh and periods of detention are unreasonably prolonged. This article discusses the conditions of confinement at INS facilities and delineates several key aspects of the controversy surrounding INS detention policy.
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