Please join us for a conversation about solitary confinement and immigration detainees. Everyday about 800 immigrants are locked up in county jails and detention centers across Massachusetts.
These women and men are civil detainees who may be waiting for a decision on their asylum application, may have overstayed a visa, or may be contesting deportation. They may be placed in solitary confinement for breaking rules or because they are at risk of being harmed by other detainees (for example, because they identify as transgender).
In May 2015, the UN passed rules that prohibit solitary confinement lasting more than 15 days and in 2011 the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture concluded that solitary confinement for more than 15 days constitutes torture and can cause irreversible harmful psychological effects. How should this issue be addressed?
WHEN: Noon on Thursday, December 1st
WHERE: Moot Courtroom, UMass Law, 333 Faunce Corner Road, Dartmouth, Mass.
Speakers:
Attorney Elizabeth Matos, Massachusetts Prisoner Legal Services Attorney Lisa Newman-Polk, former Mass. Dept. of Corrections clinician who is familiar with solitary confinement and its impact on mental health. Attorney Ellen Gallagher, Senior Policy Advisor, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This is one of several events marking the 15th anniversary year of the Immigration Litigation Clinic at UMass Law. It is co-sponsored by the UMass Law Review, the International Law Students Association, and the Latin American Law Students Association.