2016 Conference Program - Detention Watch Network

11th National
Member Conference
April 21-23, 2016
#EndDetention
The Grand
225 N Charles St.
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
Table of Contents
Welcome1
Acknowledgements3
Participant Agreement4
Agenda5
Plenary Descriptions8
Keynote Speaker9
Workshop Descriptions10
Presenter Bios19
Participant List28
Welcome to Baltimore Guide
32
DWN Mission and Vision
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
Welcome
Welcome to the 11th National DWN Member Conference! We are excited to gather together in beautiful
Baltimore, Maryland to continue to build towards our vision of a world without immigration detention.
The DWN Member Conference, now taking place every other year, has always been a unique space to take
a pause and reflect on our work together, consult with you, our members, and take stock of our priorities as
a Network. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the 1996 immigration laws and with the end of the
Obama administration on the horizon, perhaps a new chapter in our fight for the civil and human rights of all
persons impacted by the immigration detention system.
At the Conference, we will address the challenges we face in today’s current landscape—rising antiimmigrant rhetoric, uncertainty in the upcoming elections and corporate profiteering—as well as note recent
achievements—increased exposure of family detention and the detention of LGBTQ immigrants, inspiring
organizing by immigrants in detention, and the overall growth of a more strategic and powerful movement.
The program for this year’s conference aims to engage current and new members in our work, create strong
relationships, share and enhance our expertise, build skills and identify concrete ways to unify strategy and
inspire each other through a direct action. We have divided the program into three areas: strategy sessions,
educational sessions and skill-building sessions. We are also making space for cross-movement as well as
regional collaborations.
We are especially excited to be joined by renowned activist and writer, Harsha Walia, for the keynote on
Friday afternoon. Harsha is the author of Undoing Border Imperialism and has been called “one of Canada’s
most brilliant and effective political organizers” by Naomi Klein.
Together, we will prioritize what is next for our movement, how to continue to pressure the administration
and Congress to stop the mass detention of immigrants and ways to strengthen support for immigrants in
detention and their loved ones.
Detention Watch Network belongs to you. During the conference, please consider how you can be
involved in the Network’s leadership, campaigns, education and advocacy work. Your participation and
engagement makes a crucial difference in the success of our collective fight to end detention.
We look forward to our time together in Baltimore.
Sincerely,
Ana Carrion and Silky Shah
DWN Co-Directors
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
DWN Staff and Steering Committee
Acknowledgements
DWN Staff
The DWN 11th National Member Conference would
not have been possible without the outstanding
support, assistance, and collaboration of many
individuals and organizations. We are all extremely
grateful for the support they have given to DWN for
this event.
Ana Carrión, Co-Director
Danny Cendejas, Organizing Director
Conchita Garcia, Policy Intern
Carly Pérez, Membership and Communications Manager
Dawy Rkasnuam, Research and Advocacy Associate
Silky Shah, Co-Director
Special Thanks To:
Mary Small, Policy Director
DWN Members and Donors whose commitment
and contributions make it possible for the Network
to realize its vision of a world without immigration
detention.
Angela Vera Webster, Finance and Operations Manager
DWN Steering Committee
Quyen Dinh
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, Washington, DC
PJ Edwards
Georgia Detention Watch, Atlanta, GA
Christina Fialho and Christina Mansfield
Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement (CIVIC), California
Romy Lerner
University of Miami, School of Law Immigration Clinic, Miami, FL
Amanda Lugg
African Services Committee, New York, NY
Abraham Paulos
Families for Freedom, New York, NY
Liz Sweet
Washington, DC
Michael Tan
American Civil Liberties Union – Immigrant Rights Project, Atlanta, GA
Fred Tsao
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Chicago, IL
Institutional Support:
Ford Foundation
Open Society Foundations
Four Freedoms Fund
David Rockefeller Fund
Porticus, N.A.
Conference Advisory Committee:
Jennifer Chan, National Immigrant Justice Center
Eunice Cho, Southern Poverty Law Center
Jamila Hammami, Queer Detainee Empowerment
Project
Kenny Hood, Rocky Mountain Immigrant
Advocacy Network
Karen Lucas, American Immigration
Lawyers Association
Abraham Paulos, Families for Freedom
Perth Rosen, Lutheran Immigration and
Refugee Service
Azadeh Shahshahani, Georgia Detention Watch
Jessica Shulruff Schneider, Americans for
Immigrant Justice
Amilcar Valencia, El Refugio Ministry
Events Coordinator:
Kirsten Slowey, Eastern Bay Event Company
2
Social Media:
Will Coley, Aquifer Media
Photography:
Steve Pavey, Hope in Focus
T-Shirts:
Puente Ink and Carlos Garcia, Puente AZ
Childcare Providers:
Odalis Alfaro
Madeline Vargas
Interpreters:
Jacob Blickenov (Coordinator)
Nico Udu-gama (Coordinator)
Tony Macias
Jazmín Rumbaut
Jamie Wick
Rachel Mehl
Alida Yath
Andrea Zamudio
Kathy Ogle
Jose Díaz
Pedro Cruz
Handbook Design:
Maria Schultz
Translation:
Indhira Prego
Volunteers:
LIRS Visitation Volunteers
Pierre Thompson
Suzanne Schlattman
Roberta Dunning
Richard Dunning
Manon McGuigan
Sam DiDonato
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
Participant Agreement
Detention Watch Network (DWN) is a committed member coalition that convenes passionate advocates
from diverse backgrounds to strategize and strengthen the movement to end immigration detention.
We pride ourselves on the diversity of our community and the unique experiences, expertise and skills that
each of us brings to enrich the Network. As a result, we strive to have conference spaces that convene both
members and allies, to be “safe,” where participants respect each other’s role and differences in an effort to
feel comfortable to engage in conversations that foster collaborations.
Because we are a member-led, member-driven community, we expect our members to act as leaders within
the progressive movement and demonstrate the following behavior:
• Respect for everyone’s identity, background, experiences, expertise, skills and unique role
• Willingness for personal growth by allowing yourself to challenge and be challenged by others in a
candid and caring manner
• Support conference participants by being physically and mentally present during presentations and
discussions
• Offer words of encouragement if you notice a fellow participant needing support
• Report any mistreatment or behavior that you feel jeopardizes your well-being or that of
another participant
• Accountability for your own actions and feelings
If at any time throughout the conference you feel as though you are not being respected and/or you
experience harassment by words, gestures, body language or any other behavior that makes you feel
uncomfortable please contact a DWN staff member immediately. DWN staff can be identified through their
yellow-colored name badges.
You may be asked to leave the conference and its activities at the discretion and approval of the
DWN Staff, for:
Agenda
Thursday, April 21, 2016
8:00 am
Breakfast and Registration (Roman Strada)
9:00 am
Welcome and Icebreaker (Corinthian)
9:45 am
Opening Plenary: 20 Years of the 1996 Laws: Reflections and Prospects (Corinthian)
10:45 am
Break
11:00 am Breakout Session I
• Barriers and Opportunities to Increasing Access to Justice (Composite)
• Challenging DHS’s Enforcement Regime from the Interior to the Border (Corinthian)
• Using ICE Contracts, ICE Inspections, and Independent NGO Inspections to End
Abusive Detention (Ionic)
• Directly Impacted Perspectives on Immigration Detention (Tuscan)
12:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm
Plenary: Collaboration Across Movements for Racial Justice (Corinthian)
2:30 pm
Regional Caucus I
3:30 pm
Break
3:45 pm
Breakout Session II
• Freedom of Information Laws: Using Open Records Laws to Support Organizing Campaigns (Corinthian)
• Exposing the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Immigrant Shadow Prison System (Ionic)
• From Adelanto to LGBTQI Freedom: A National Strategy Session to Close GBT Pods
(Tuscan)
• Strategizing Together to Permanently End Family Detention (Composite)
5:15 pm
Closing Session (Corinthian)
6:00 pm
Fundraising Reception
(Cazbar, 316 N. Charles Street – one block from The Grand/Embassy Suites)
• Egregious offenses (theft, physical assault, sexual harassment, etc.)
• A consistent pattern of offensive or disruptive behavior, as reported by many network members
For participants utilizing the shared rooming, if you feel uncomfortable and that your personal well-being is at
risk any time, please contact: Ana Carrión, DWN Co-Director at 512-658-1928.
Thank you for ensuring our DWN community continues to thrive.
Sincerely,
DWN Staff and Steering Committee
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
Agenda
Friday, April 22, 2016
Agenda
Saturday, April 23, 2016
8:00 am
Breakfast and Registration (Roman Strada)
8:30 am
Breakfast and Registration (Roman Strada)
9:00 am
Breakout Session III
• When Alternatives to Detention Aren’t Real Alternatives: Exploring Emerging Trends
in Conditions of Release (Corinthian)
• Working Together to Expose Perverse Incentives for Detention to #EndtheQuota
(Ionic)
• How Visitation Can Change the Detention System (Composite)
• Casualties of the Drug War: Forced Migration and U.S. Policy in Central America &
Mexico (Tuscan)
9:15 am
Breakout Session V
• Site Fights! Strategies to End Contracts with Local Immigration Jails (Composite)
• Strategy Session on ATDs: Moving Forward When Our Solutions Have Been
Coopted (Tuscan)
• Amplifying Voices from Detention: Digital Tools, Online Strategy and Reporter Outreach (Ionic)
• Open Space – To be Determined (Veterans)
10:45 am
Break
10:30 am
Break
11:00 am
Regional Caucuses II
10:45 am
Breakout Session IV
• Strategy Session: Building Power During Political Transition (Tuscan)
• ¡Huelga! How to Support Immigrants Fighting on the Inside (Composite)
• Aligning our Fight Against Detention with the Movement to End Mass Incarceration
(Ionic)
• Moving the Needle: Using Strategic Communications to Get What You Want and Need (Corinthian)
12:15 pm
Lunch & Report back from Regional Caucuses (Corinthian)
12:45 pm
Closing (Corinthian)
12:15 pm
Lunch
1:15 pm
Keynote Speaker: Harsha Walia (Corinthian)
2:30 pm
Take to the Streets! Preparing for the Action (Corinthian)
3:00 pm Action
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
Plenary Descriptions
Thursday, April 21
Friday, April 22
9:45 am
20 Years of the 1996 Laws: Reflections and Prospects
1:15 pm
Keynote Speaker: Harsha Walia
Presenters:
• Alina Das, Associate Professor of Clinical Law, New York University School of Law
• Mia-lia Kiernan, Co-Founder and Organizer, 1Love Movement
• Abraham Paulos, Executive Director, Families for Freedom
• Moderator: Silky Shah, Co-Director, Detention Watch Network
Harsha Walia will speak about reframing the immigrant rights movements within a transnational analysis of
capitalism, labor exploitation, settler colonialism, state building, and racialized empire. How can our mobilizing
against immigrant detention build on and strengthen alliances with movements against prison and police
abolition, war and imperialism, and all forms of oppression?
2016 marks the twentieth anniversary of the passage of the 1996 laws – the Anti-terrorism and Effective
Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA).
These two laws categorically changed the way immigrants were treated in the U.S. leading to an overall
paradigm shift. As a result, the scope of who could be detained and deported drastically increased, setting
the foundation for the more draconian and harsh immigration system we have today. In this opening plenary
we will reflect on 20 years of the 1996 laws, discuss strategies to eliminate them, and consider alternative
visions for migrant justice as we look ahead.
Bio:
Harsha Walia is a South Asian activist, writer and educator. Formally trained in the law, for the past fifteen
years she has been active in grassroots anti-racist, migrant justice, Indigenous solidarity, anti-capitalist and
anti-imperialist movements. She has presented to the United Nations on issues of detention, homelessness
and violence against women. Harsha is the author of Undoing Border Imperialism and has been called “one
of Canada’s most brilliant and effective political organizers” by Naomi Klein.
Location: Corinthian
Location: Corinthian
1:30 pm
Collaboration Across Movements for Racial Justice
Presenters:
• Pamela Gomez, Central Florida Community Organizer, Florida Immigrant Coalition
• Jacinta Gonzalez, Field Director, Mijente and #Not1More Deportation Campaign
• Inas Shnewer, Member, National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms
• Moderator: Danny Cendejas, Organizing Director, Detention Watch Network
The current political moment, though turbulent, has also witnessed the revitalization of movements calling
for an end to racial oppression in the United States. From Black Lives Matter to immigrant rights to struggles
against Islamophobia, racial justice movements have called attention to the endurance of racial hierarchy,
xenophobia and inequality in the U.S. This panel brings together movement leaders to consider the vital issue
of solidarity across racial justice struggles and will discuss potential points of alignment and collaboration.
Location: Corinthian
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
Workshop Descriptions
› Using ICE Contracts, ICE Inspections, and Independent NGO Inspections to End Abusive Detention
Thursday, April 21
Breakout Session I, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Presenters:
• Jennifer Chan, Associate Director of Policy, National Immigrant Justice Center
• Christina Mansfield, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Community Initiatives for Visiting
Immigrants in Confinement
• Mary Small, Policy Director, Detention Watch Network
› Barriers and Opportunities to Increasing Access to Justice
Presenters:
• Jessica Jones, Policy Counsel, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
• Avideh Moussavian, Economic Justice Policy Attorney, National Immigration Law Center
• Michael Tan, Staff Attorney, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project
• Emily Tucker, Senior Staff Attorney for Immigrant Rights, Center for Popular Democracy
Join us as we explore new frontiers of the struggle for due process and access to justice. We’ll start with
rocket dockets—or extremely fast moving immigration cases—which have caused serious harm for children
and families over the last year and resulted in large numbers of in absentia orders of removal. Now, the
government is expanding rocket dockets to people who have benefited from recent wins in mandatory
detention litigation, with potentially disastrous consequences. Join us to plan together to respond more
quickly and effectively to these rocket dockets. Given the importance of counsel in successful outcomes,
we’ll also be exploring ways to increase universal access to counsel for those in detention. We’ll hear about
programs in New York City, upstate New York and Newark, NJ where advocates have secured funding to
ensure that all noncitizens in detention have a lawyer, and about local efforts underway to replicate these
programs in other parts of the country.
Location: Composite
› Challenging DHS’s Enforcement Regime from the Interior to the Border
Presenters:
• Eunice Hyunhye Cho, Staff Attorney, Southern Poverty Law Center
• Jacinta Gonzalez, Field Director, Mijente and #Not1More Deportation Campaign
• Jennifer Johnson, Policy Advisory, Southern Border Communities Coalition
• Julie Mao, Enforcement Fellow, National Immigration Project for the National Lawyers Guild
This skill-building session will cover the basics of how to read and understand immigration detention
contracts and inspections, where to find them, and how to conduct your own facility inspection—to force
transparency, elevate the experiences of detained people, and uncover issues ignored or hidden during
official inspections. Using documents from a few facilities as a model, we’ll practice finding key information,
and then planning collaboratively on how to use the information we’ve found for different potential
campaigns such as shutting down detention centers, challenging contracts, addressing abuses inside the
facility, and increasing accountability and transparency for ICE and other detention center operators.
Location: Ionic
› Directly Impacted Perspectives on Immigration Detention
Presenters:
• Abraham Paulos, Executive Director, Families For Freedom
**This workshop is for people who are or have been directly affected by detention and deportation ONLY.
Invisible from the mainstream debate about immigration policy are the viewpoints that include former
detainees and those that are under supervision with Intense Supervised Appearance Programs (ISAP).
This breakout session hopes to fill that gap as to how formerly detained individuals view Alternatives to
Detention, thoughts on the philosophy behind immigration detention, the impact on their daily lives, and
discussing other policy initiatives.
Location: Tuscan
Despite recent wins against Secure Communities and detainer policies, the Department of Homeland
Security’s enforcement regime continues to be going strong. While border and interior enforcement are
often discussed separately this panel aims to address DHS enforcement holistically and understand how
immigrant communities are being impacted across the country. This panel discussion will explore DHS
enforcement including Operation Streamline, recent immigration raids, and ICE’s collaboration with local law
enforcement agencies. We will also address ICE enforcement patterns and practices in different regions, and
lessons learned from organizing strategies and legal challenges to end abusive DHS enforcement practices.
Location: Corinthian
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
Breakout Session II, 3:45 pm – 5:15 pm
› Freedom of Information Laws: Using Open Records Laws to Support Organizing Campaigns
Presenters:
• Ian Head, Legal Worker, Center for Constitutional Rights
• Ghita Schwarz, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights
› Strategizing Together to Permanently End Family Detention
Presenters:
• Amy Fischer, Policy Director, RAICES
• Facilitator: Mary Small, Policy Director, Detention Watch Network
Join Ghita Schwarz and Ian Head, both from the Center for Constitutional Rights, for a practical skills training
on how to use the federal Freedom of Information Act and local and state public records laws to drive
change. Through their work, they have shown that these laws can be used to gather information, reveal
misconduct, collect and interpret data, and support organizing campaigns. If lack of transparency by ICE
or a local government has impeded your work or if you’ve been intimidated by the process of submitting,
pursuing and using Freedom of Information Laws, this session is for you!
It’s been almost two years since the Obama administration massively expanded family detention in
response to an increase in the numbers of mothers and children arriving at the U.S. southern border from
Central America, nearly all seeking international protection. Although 2015 saw some incredible victories—
successfully challenging the Berks facility’s license, delaying the Texas licensing process, winning Flores at
the district level, providing incredible levels of legal counsel to detained families, actions and protests that
kept this injustice elevated in the media, and much more—family detention is slowly becoming a normalized
part of the expanded detention system. Join us as we plan together for the next phase of our campaign to
fight this normalization, and end family detention once and for all.
Location: Corinthian
Location: Composite
› Exposing the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Immigrant Shadow Prison System
Friday, April 22
Breakout Session III, 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Presenters:
• Judy Greene, Founding Director, Justice Strategies
• Bob Libal, Executive Director, Grassroots Leadership
• Carl Takei, Staff Attorney, ACLU National Prison Project
• Moderator: Azadeh Shahshahani, Legal & Advocacy Director, Project South
Criminal Alien Requirements prisons or “shadow prisons” are Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) facilities run by private
prison corporations that exclusively incarcerate non-citizens convicted of federal offenses including unlawful
entry and re-entry. BOP incarcerates tens of thousands of men in these prisons in remote facilities around the
country. Shadow prisons have recently come under greater scrutiny due to reports of death, inadequate health
care, and abuse. This panel will discuss advocacy and organizing efforts around shadow prisons.
Location: Ionic
› From Adelanto to LGBTQI Freedom: A National Strategy Session to Close GBT Pods
Presenters:
• Jesus Barrios, Fellow, Queer Detainee Empowerment Project
• Jamila Hammami, Executive Director, Queer Detainee Empowerment Project
• Victoria Mena, Independent Monitoring and Policy Advocate, Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement
This session will give a background on LGBTQI detention, then move into discussing the history of closing
GBT pods in the US immigration detention system. We will strategize the current shutdown of all GBT pods
and segregated housing for LGBTQI communities, and introduce the newly developed national LGBTQI bond
fund, the Trans Queer Migrant Freedom Fund.
› When Alternatives to Detention Aren’t Real Alternatives: Exploring Emerging Trends in
Conditions of Release
Presenters:
• Olga Byrne, Senior Associate in Refugee Protection, Human Rights First
• Mark Reid, President, Families and Friends Against Deportation, Inc.
• Anne Schaufele, Staff Atorney, Ayuda
• Liz Sweet, Managing Attorney, HIAS
This session will explore new and emerging trends related to the wide range of ways in which people
are released from detention, including bond and parole; ICE’s traditional alternatives to detention program
(ISAP) which includes check-ins and the rapidly growing use of ankle monitors; and the new family case
management pilot implemented earlier this year. Both ISAP and the family case management program
have been contracted out to subsidiaries of GEO Group, a private prison company. For the first time, we’ll
also explore the effect that bond companies, at least one of which uses its own ankle monitors, have had
on people’s release. Come to learn from our panelists and share what you know about the broad range of
conditions of release.
This session is part of a two-part series. Though not required, please also consider attending the strategy
session on these same issues on Saturday, April 23 at 9:15 a.m.
Location: Corinthian
Location: Tuscan
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
› Working Together to Expose Perverse Incentives for Detention to #EndtheQuota
› Casualties of the Drug War: Forced Migration and U.S. Policy in Central America & Mexico
Presenters:
• Danny Cendejas, Organizing Director, Detention Watch Network
• Jennifer Chan, Associate Director of Policy, National Immigration Justice Center
• Cristina Parker, Immigration Programs Director, Grassroots Leadership
• Grisel Ruiz, Staff Attorney, Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Presenters:
• Jacinta Gonzalez, Field Director, Mijente and #Not1More Deportation Campaign
• Azadeh Shahshahani, Legal & Advocacy Director, Project South
• Arturo Viscarra, Advocacy Coordinator, SOA Watch
• Moderator: Kathryn Johnson, Policy Impact Coordinator, American Friends Service Committee
The detention bed quota is a congressional mandate that requires ICE to maintain 34,000 detention beds
at any given time. While there has been significant attention to the quota, it continues to drive detention
policy. The system is also impacted by other perverse incentives including local level quotas in the form
of guaranteed minimums that require ICE to pay for a certain number of beds at specific facilities. In this
session participants will learn about the origins of the bed quota by working together to reconstruct a
timeline of the history of the bed quota. Afterwards, we will discuss the national, state, and local strategies
that we can use to dismantle and #EndTheQuota together.
The Central American refugee crisis exploded in 2014 and has resurfaced recently in part due to the US role
in the region. Escalation of the U.S.-led Drug War has been utilized to justify further militarization, has led to
more killings, disappearances, and forced migration. What are the results of increased militarization given
widespread impunity in Mexico and Honduras, including the high profile Ayotzinapa crimes and assassination
of Berta Caceres? We will discuss current policy and aid packages of the U.S. in Mesoamerica, the role of
multinational corporations and the neoliberal economic system and the impact that U.S. policy have had
leading to children and families are fleeing for their lives. We’ll look at solidarity/sanctuary coalitions that
helped bring an end to Central American wars in the 1980s-90s, and helped secure legal residency and
citizenship (ABC v. Thornburg, TPS, NACARA) to hundreds of thousands of refugees in the U.S. from Central
America.
Location: Ionic
› How Visitation Can Change the Detention System
Presenters:
• Sofia Casini, Detention Visitation Coordinator, Grassroots Leadership
• Sally Pillay, Director, First Friends of NJ & NY
• Amilcar Valencia, Executive Director, El Refugio Ministry
• Katherine Weathers, Volunteer and Co-Coordinator, Etowah Visitation Project
• Moderator: Christina Mansfield, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement
Visitation programs are an important presence that help to lessen the isolation that detained immigrants
experience in detention facilities, and offer communities an opportunity to challenge the profit-driven
immigration detention system and develop alternatives to detention. They also serve as a way to increase
awareness in the community by letting individuals have a personal experience with someone in detention.
This session offers participants an overview of the different models of visitation programs across the country
and how these initiatives are making an impact in the lives of detained immigrants. Visitation programs
affirm the humanity of people in detention, monitor detention facility conditions, develop alternative to
detention and post-release services, while simultaneously advocating for individuals in detention and for
broader policy reform. The visitation movement is capable of changing the entire immigration detention
system by demonstrating that communities are willing to contribute programs that offer alternatives to
immigration detention.
Location: Composite
Location: Tuscan
Breakout Session IV, 10:45 am – 12:15 pm
› Strategy Session: Building Power During Political Transition
Presenters:
• Joanne Lin, Legislative Counsel, ACLU Washington Legislative Office
• Salvador Sarmiento, Campaign Coordinator, National Day Laborer Network
• Paromita Shah, Associate Director, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild
• Facilitator: Mary Small, Policy Director, Detention Watch Network
As we head into the final months of the Obama administration, many of us are unsure of what’s ahead.
DAPA/DACA is before the Supreme Court. Despite the occasional positive statement, the Obama
administration has doubled down on harmful and destructive immigration enforcement policies. What should
we be doing during this limbo time? This session explores ideas for how to capitalize on the end of the
current administration, and influence public discourse and candidate positions during the ongoing presidential
campaigns. We’ll also talk about how to plan for the unknown post-November, and anticipate ways in
which we can already be working together. If you find the current election season paralyzing, bewildering or
infuriating, and want to think and plan strategically about how to push ahead in the midst of it, please join us
for this session.
Location: Tuscan
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
› ¡Huelga! How to Support Immigrants Fighting on the Inside
› Moving the Needle: Using Strategic Communications to Get What you Want and Need
Presenters:
• Insis Bernardez, formerly detained at Hutto Detention Center
• Paromita Shah, Associate Director, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild
• Bethany Carson, Immigration Policy Researcher and Organizer, Grassroots Leadership
• Moderator: Danny Cendejas, Organizing Director, Detention Watch Network
Presenters:
• Shanelle Matthews, Communications Strategist, Blackbird
• Mervyn Marcano, Communications Strategist and Co-Founder, Blackbird
From the Hutto 27 to the hunger strikers fighting against being #Deported2Death, incarcerated immigrants
are rising up more and more against their detention and inhumane conditions inside. Physically isolated with
few ways to challenge their unjust incarceration, hunger strikes and work strikes are some of the few tactics
detained immigrants have to make their voices heard. In this session we will hear from someone who led
a hunger strike and advocates and organizers that have supported strikers’ leadership by mobilizing support
against retaliation and advocacy for their release. We will begin to develop a blueprint to support strikers
moving forward.
Strategic communications is a blueprint for creating visibility for your work and a manifestation of your
goals and vision. It is, in no uncertain terms, your approach to getting your audience to take action, whether
online or at the ballot box. If you work on issues that spark public controversy and challenge deeply held
convictions, communications strategies should be a fundamental part of your professional toolkit. From
immigration to religion to abortion, expertly navigating and influencing the public conversation can often be
the key to success. In this workshop, we will dive into the core components you need to foster engaging
and persuasive communications and to get your audience to take action on the things that matter most. We
will discuss goal and objective setting, message development, and implementation, and provide time to
workshop your ideas.
Location: Composite
Location: Corinthian
› Aligning our Fight Against Detention with the Movement to End Mass Incarceration
Presenters:
• Laura Markle Downton, Director of U.S. Prisons Policy Program, National Religious Campaign Against Torture
• Dave Pierre, Formerly detained at York County Prison and other detention centers
• Nicole D. Porter, Director of Advocacy, The Sentencing Project
• Moderator: Janis Rosheuvel, Executive Secretary for Racial Justice, United Methodist Women
The United States is the world’s leading incarcerator and the growth of the immigrant detention system
is fundamentally tied to the expansion of prisons and jails over the last 30 years. Without addressing
the overall criminalization of people of color within the U.S., it will be impossible to end the detention of
immigrants. Collaboration and alignment with the movement fighting mass incarceration will be critical as
we work towards freedom and justice for all. This workshop will focus on the intersections between the
immigration system and the criminal justice system. Participants will learn about history of the intersection,
the experience for those targeted by both systems, and current efforts towards sentencing reform and
addressing urgent needs for those currently incarcerated.
Location: Ionic
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Saturday, April 23
Breakout Session V, 9:15 am – 10:45 am
› Site Fights! Strategies to End Contracts with Local Immigration Jails
Presenters:
• Danny Cendejas, Organizing Director, Detention Watch Network
• Silky Shah, Co-Director, Detention Watch Network
Despite efforts to limit detention or curb enforcement by ICE, detention bed numbers have remained the
same and local governments are often dependent on beds being filled to support their budgets. As long
as jails exist for immigrants, detention will not end. Any fight for less detention must include campaigns
to shut down existing detention facilities. In this strategy session, DWN staff will facilitate a discussion on
how we can push for the closure or termination of contracts with local immigration jails. We will discuss
which facilities to target and identify tactics we can use to meet our goals. We will also address obstacles to
success such as the lack of jobs in cash-strapped counties and the remoteness of detention facilities.
Location: Composite
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
› Strategy Session on ATDs: Moving Forward When Our Solutions Have Been Coopted
Presenters:
• Jessica Shulruff Schneider, Supervising Attorney for Detention and Asylum, AI Justice
• Mary Small, Policy Director, Detention Watch Network
The current discourse on detention often advocates for alternatives to detention (ATDs). While alternatives
have expanded, this has not led to a reduction in detention. ICE has also used the language of alternatives
to promote “alternative” forms of detention, such as electronic monitoring. For the first half of this session
we will strategize together about how to make bond more accessible and affordable, and increase the use
of parole to get people of out detention. In the second half of the session we’ll address a broader series of
questions, including: How should we respond when alternatives to detention serve to expand the number
of people under surveillance and not get people out of detention? How do we confront the growing role and
influence of private prison companies in shaping policy around ATDs? Given ICE’s cooptation of the language,
what are the risks of using the alternatives frame?
This session is part of a two-part series. Though not required, please also consider attending the educational
session on ATDs on Friday, April 22 at 9:00 am.
Location: Tuscan
› Amplifying Voices from Detention: Digital Tools, Online Strategy and Reporter Outreach
Presenters:
• Will Coley, Social Media Strategist and Producer, Aquifer Media
• Christina Mansfield, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement
People in detention may be hidden from the public’s view but we can make sure that their voices are heard.
In this session, we’ll discuss how families and advocates can amplify voices of people in detention with
digital tools, online strategy and reporter outreach. We’ll learn from the example of DWN’s “Voices from
Detention” and CIVIC’s “Detention Stories” and “Community Bonds” projects. Through hands on exercises,
participants will learn a step-by-step process to record and share stories from people in detention.
Location: Ionic
› Open Space - To Be Determined
Location: Veterans
Presenter Bios
Jesus Barrios is a queer immigrant from Mexico, raised in Southern CA, and now based in New York City.
His political and community organizing work is centered at the intersection of queerness, immigration, and
health with a commitment to supporting social efforts working to advance the lives of marginalized and
oppressed communities in the US. They will be completing their Masters in Public Health degree, at the end
of 2016, from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health.
Insis Bernardez is a Garifuna woman from Honduras. She was escaping from the violence she had suffered
at the hands of the father of her children and from gang violence. She comes from a humble family that
makes a living selling food on the street, including coconut bread, fried fish, and other traditional foods of
the Garifuna culture. Insis was one of the leaders of the hunger strike at the T. Don Hutto Detention Center
in Texas. She began the hunger strike in October 2015, along with a group of women who had been in
detention for a long period of time.
Olga Byrne is the Senior Associate in Refugee Protection at Human Rights First. Prior to joining Human
Rights First, Olga directed a program at the Fordham Law School Feerick Center for Social Justice aimed
at improving state and local policies affecting immigrant children. Previously, Olga was a 2011-2012 U.S.
Fulbright-Schuman Scholar. From 2006 to 2011, Olga worked on national programs at the Vera Institute of
Justice. Olga is a graduate of Cornell University and Fordham Law School.
Bethany Carson is a researcher and organizer with Grassroots Leadership in Austin where she facilitates
Texans United For Families (TUFF), a community group organizing to end immigrant detention. She has
released research on for-profit prison lobbying on the immigrant detention quota and is currently investigating
the criminal prosecution of migrants. During the hunger strike at the T. Don Hutto Detention Center, she
visited women on strike and helped to organize outside support and respond to retaliation.
Sofia Casini, Detention Visitation Coordinator, leads Grassroots Leadership’s visitation program at the T.
Don Hutto Detention Center. Based in Austin, Texas, previous positions include Community Organizer with
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, Field Team Leader with the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program
in West Africa, and Director of both Refugee Services of Texas and AVANCE. Sofia holds a BA in Cultural
Anthropology and MA in International Migration.
Danny Cendejas is the Organizing Director at Detention Watch Network. Previously, Danny organized with
Texas Organizing Project since late 2011. While with Texas Organizing Project, Danny drove the immigrants’
rights campaign in Dallas and then statewide as Immigration Campaign Field Director. Danny graduated from
the University of Virginia in 2011 with a major in Anthropology.
Jennifer Chan is the Associate Director of Policy at the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC). Prior to
joining NIJC, she worked at OneAmerica and We Belong Together. Originally from Seattle, Washington,
Jennifer earned her Master in Public Policy at the University of Chicago, and her B.A. in anthropology at
the University of Washington. She currently serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board of the
University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.
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Eunice Hyunhye Cho works with SPLC in Atlanta, Georgia, focusing on litigation and advocacy related to
immigration detention and enforcement issues. Previously, Eunice worked as a Staff Attorney and Skadden
Fellow for the National Employment Law Project’s Immigrant Worker Justice Project, and served as a law
clerk. Prior to law school, Eunice was the Education Director at the National Network for Immigrant and
Refugee Rights, and is the co-author of BRIDGE: Building a Race and Immigration Dialogue in the Global
Economy: A Popular Education Resource for Immigrant and Refugee Community Organizers.
Jacinta Gonzalez is the Field Director at Mijente. Prior to working for Mijente, Jacinta was a community
organizer at PODER in Sonora, Mexico. From 2007-2014, Jacinta was the lead organizer for the New Orleans
Workers’ Center for Racial Justice Congress of Day Laborers. She was the lead investigator and author
of two reports that documented the inhumane conditions in the immigration detention center in Basile,
Louisiana. A recipient of the Soros Justice and New Voices Fellowships, Gonzalez holds a degree from
Wesleyan University.
Will Coley is an independent radio producer, social media strategist, trainer and videographer based in
Queens, NY. His radio stories have been broadcast on the BBC, KCRW’s Unfictional, Transom.org and
Georgia Public Broadcasting among others. He also produces digital storytelling for nonprofit organizations
working for stronger communities. Will has a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia
University and completed the Refugee Studies certificate program at the University of Oxford. In 2011,
Will attended the first-ever Transom Radio Story Workshop.
Judy Greene has expertise in correctional policy, prison privatization, police accountability and immigration
enforcement. From 1985 to 1993 Judy was Director of Court Programs at the Vera Institute of Justice. She
served as program director of the State-Centered Program for the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, and
as a senior research fellow at the University of Minnesota Law School. In 1999 she received a Senior Soros
Justice Fellowship from the Open Society Foundation.
Alina Das is an Associate Professor of Clinical Law at New York University School of Law, where she is
Co-Director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic and represents immigrants facing deportation and detention.
In addition to her litigation and advocacy work, Professor Das teaches and writes about deportation and
detention issues, particularly at the intersection of immigration and criminal law.
Jamila Hammami is a queer first¬ generation Tunisian¬ Arab American woman of color community
organizer & social worker from the south, now based in NYC. She is a founder and Executive Director of
the Queer Detainee Empowerment Project. She is a graduate of the Silberman School of Social Work at
Hunter College with a degree in Community Organizing Social Work, with a specialization in Immigrants and
Refugees. She is also a leader of the NYC chapter of Black & Pink.
Rev. Laura Markle Downton directs the state and federal advocacy agenda for interfaith leadership in
NRCAT’s campaign to end torture in U.S. prisons, jails, and detention centers. She provides coordination,
training, resource development, and technical direction to faith-based organizations nationally. Laura worked
previously as National Organizer for the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist
Church, building networks among communities of faith engaged in the promotion of restorative justice.
Ian Head is a Legal Worker at the Center for Constitutional Rights, where he works on policing, racial justice,
immigrant rights, and prisoners’ rights issues. Major CCR cases Ian has worked on include Floyd v. City of
New York, National Day Laborer Organizing Network v. ICE, and Detention Watch Network v. ICE. He is a
co-editor of the Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook. He is a member and former Executive Vice President of the
National Lawyers Guild.
Amy Fischer is the Policy Director with the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services
(RAICES). Based in DC, she works to bring the voices and stories of those directly impacted to the policy
making table. Previously, Amy managed an alternative court program for first-time, misdemeanor juvenile
offenders for five years, and has also worked with the NC DREAM Team and the Immigrant Youth Forum.
She attended Brandeis University and received her Masters in Public Policy from the University of Maryland
School of Public Policy in 2015.
Jennifer Johnson is the Washington, DC-based Policy Advisor for the Southern Border Communities
Coalition. Prior to joining the SBCC, Jenny was the Senior Policy Associate for the Latin America Working
Group’s Mexico & U.S.-Mexico Borderlands Program. Her focus on U.S.-Mexico issues started at
BorderLinks in Nogales, Arizona and Sonora where she taught experiential education seminars on the impact
of immigration, enforcement and economic policy on the U.S.-Mexico border region. Jenny has a B.A. in
Peace & Global Studies from Earlham College and an MPH from the University of Arizona.
Pamela Gomez was born in the Dominican Republic. Her family immigrated to the Virgin Islands in the
early 1990s in search of better educational and economic opportunities. As an Afro-Caribbean and AfroTaina, she works to build on the connection between her indigenous and African Disaporic roots and combat
oppression, racism, and exclusion in her transnational community. Currently, she is the Central Florida
Community Organizer of the Florida Immigrant Coalition and part of the membership and leadership of the
Dominican Association of Tampa, Black Lives Matter Tampa, and LULAC Florida.
Kathryn Johnson is the Policy Impact Coordinator with the American Friends Service Committee and
guides the organization’s advocacy on immigration and Latin America. Previously, she served as Assistant
Director of the Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA, supporting human rights defenders, educating
the international community, and coordinating a network of activists to demand responsible US policies.
She has a B.A. in International Trade and Human Development from Western Washington University and a
Master of Public Administration from the Evans School at the University of Washington.
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Jessica Jones joined the Advocacy Office of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service in 2014, focusing
solely on policy advocacy on behalf of unaccompanied migrant kids and other vulnerable children impacted
by immigration enforcement. Prior to LIRS, Jessica was an Equal Justice Works fellow at the Women’s
Refugee Commission, where she co-authored the reports, Forced From Home: The Lost Boys and Girls of
Central America and Detained or Deported: What About My Children? Jessica has been a member in good
standing with the New York State bar since 2011.
Shanelle Matthews is an award-winning communications strategist with a decade of experience in
journalism, legislative, litigation, rapid response, and campaign communications. She currently serves as
the Lead Communications Strategist for Black Lives Matter, working to build political will and mobilize
people to end state-sanctioned violence against Black communities. Before that she worked as the Deputy
Communications Director for the Sierra Club and as a strategist for the ACLU. She holds a degree in New
Media from Louisiana State University.
Mia-lia Kiernan was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1984. She is mixed, Cambodian and Australian and
immigrated to the US with her family in 1990. During the fall of 2010, the Cambodian-American community
in Philadelphia was hit by a detention and deportation crisis that targeted people with criminal histories.
What began as a campaign to release close friends and family grew into a grassroots movement building
organization, 1Love Movement. 1Love now exists as a network of community organizers around the US
and in Cambodia.
Victoria Mena is a queer immigrant rights and social justice activist with experience organizing in Florida,
California, and Washington and at the national level. Victoria is currently the Independent Monitoring and
Policy Advocate at CIVIC. She launched a Defund Detention in Adelanto Campaign, leading to the termination
of a deal between the City of Adelanto and GEO Group to build a new prison. Victoria holds a Master of
Public Administration Degree from the University of Washington in Seattle.
Bob Libal has worked for more than a decade on issues of prison privatization, immigration detention, and
criminal justice reform. Bob is author or co-author of many reports and articles for Grassroots Leadership
including Operation Streamline: Costs and Consequences and The Dirty Thirty: Nothing to Celebrate About
30 Years of Corrections Corporation of America. Bob is regularly interviewed by national, regional, and local
press on issues related to prison privatization, immigration detention, immigration enforcement policies, and
the business of prisons.
Joanne Lin has been a legislative counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union Washington Legislative
Office since September 2007. She works with the Congress and executive agencies on a broad range of
immigration and human rights issues including racial profiling, state and local immigration enforcement,
access to higher education, immigration detention conditions, sexual assault in immigration detention,
immigration due process, access to counsel, judicial review, material support bars, border enforcement, and
excessive use of force by border patrol.
Julie Mao is the Enforcement Fellow at the National Immigration Project for the National Lawyers Guild
(NIPNLG), where she provides legal and policy support to grassroots community organizations challenging
ICE enforcement and demanding government accountability. Julie has represented immigrants in civil rights
litigation against police misconduct, provided legal support in ICE hold campaigns, and worked with hundreds
of community members thru the New Orleans Congress of Day Laborers to stop deportations. Julie is a
graduate of NYU School of Law.
Mervyn Marcano is a political communications strategist and a co-founder at Blackbird. Blackbird provides
fast and flexible communications and organizing support to the Movement for Black Lives. Mervyn has
led groundbreaking campaigns as a senior communicator at leading progressive organizations including
ColorofChange.org, League of Young Voters, National Right to Vote Campaign and the Center for Media
Justice. As a consultant, his clients include The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the San Francisco
Foundation, the Mayor’s Office of San Francisco among others.
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Avideh Moussavian is the Economic Justice Policy Attorney at the National Immigration Law Center.
Avideh’s advocacy at NILC focuses on promoting economic justice for low-income immigrants, including
access to public benefits. She has previously worked on immigration reform advocacy and state and local
enforcement issues at the New York Immigration Coalition and directly represented immigrant victims of
gender-based violence at Sanctuary for Families in New York City. She holds a juris doctor from Boston
University School of Law and a bachelor of arts from Columbia University.
Cristina Parker grew up in the border town of El Paso, Texas and graduated from the University of Missouri
with degrees in Journalism and Political Science. After leaving Mizzou, she began a prestigious internship
through the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund as a copy editor for the Houston Chronicle. She later worked as the
Communications Director for the Border Network for Human Rights before coming to Grassroots Leadership
to lead the immigration programs team.
Abraham Paulos joined Families for Freedom, as a member, after he faced detention and deportation. He
is still at risk of deportation and his experience moved him to aggressively advocate for others. Abraham is
an Eritrean refugee, born in Sudan and raised in Chicago. He is a graduate of George Washington University
with a degree in International Affairs and is currently finishing a Masters in Human Rights at the New School
University.
Dave Pierre spent 1,144 days in immigrant detention facing deportation. He is originally from Antigua. He
was suddenly released on October 25, 2013 after a fellow immigrant from Antigua, 34-year-old Tiombe
Carlos, committed suicide at the York County Prison in Pennsylvania.
Sally Pillay serves as the Director of First Friends of NJ & NY. Sally’s commitment to immigrant rights began
in 2008 as an intern with the organization. She obtained her MSW in International Community Development,
with a focus in Human Rights and Social Justice. As a social worker, Sally supervises social work interns who
are involved in the visitation programs. She also serves on the board of the Northern Sanctuary Committee.
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Nicole D. Porter is the Director of Advocacy at The Sentencing Project. She manages The Sentencing
Project’s state and local advocacy efforts on sentencing reform, voting rights, and eliminating racial disparities
in the criminal justice system. Her advocacy has supported criminal justice reforms in several states including
Kentucky, Missouri, and California. Porter was named a “New Civil Rights Leader” by Essence Magazine
in November 2014 for her work to eliminate mass incarceration. Porter is the former director of the Texas
ACLU’s Prison & Jail Accountability Project (PJAP).
Mark Reid was born in Jamaica and is a US Army veteran. He has worked to safeguard the rights and dignity
of immigrants from “inside the system” in his own protracted removal proceedings and as a public advocate
and activist. Mr. Reid is the successful lead plaintiff in Reid v. Donelan, which increased detained people’s
access to bond hearings. In 2015, he founded Friends and Families Against Deportation to assist people
facing challenges in our broken immigration system in the New York metropolitan area and nationwide.
Janis Rosheuvel is Executive Secretary for Racial Justice with United Methodist Women. She lectures on
migrant criminalization at John Jay College and serves on the boards of the National Network for Immigrant
and Refugee Rights, the Black Alliance for Just Immigration and the National Religious Campaign Against
Torture. From 2007-11 she was Executive Director of Families for Freedom and received a Fulbright
Scholarship to South African from 2011-12. Janis holds an MA in Conflict Resolution from Bradford
University in England.
Grisel Ruiz is the Staff Attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC). As staff attorney at the
ILRC, Grisel specializes in the intersection between immigration law and criminal law. Previously, she cofounded “Know Your Rights” programs at two Northern California ICE-contracted facilities. These programs
provided individual representation, pro bono referrals, pro se materials, and case consultations to hundreds
of detained immigrants. She received an award from Cosmo for Latinas for this same work. Grisel is an
immigrant herself and is fluent in Spanish.
Anne Schaufele is a Staff Attorney in DC with Ayuda’s Project END, an initiative launched in May 2013 to
represent and advocate for immigrant victims of notario/immigration services fraud. Anne is Chair of the
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) National Consumer Protection & Unauthorized Practice
of Law (UPL) Action Committee, and Chair of the AILA DC UPL Committee. She is an alum of American
University, Washington College of Law. Prior to law school, Anne was a Fulbright Fellow in El Salvador.
Paromita Shah is the Associate Director of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild,
where she specializes in immigration detention and enforcement. Previously, Paromita served as director of
Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition in Washington, DC, where she conducted presentations in
regional county jails, trained attorneys, assessed detainee claims for relief, and conducted liaison meetings
with DHS and DOJ. She also worked as a staff attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services.
Silky Shah is the Co-Director of Detention Watch Network. She has worked on issues related to mass
incarceration, racial justice and immigrants’ rights for over a decade. Before joining DWN in 2009, Silky
worked as an organizer for Grassroots Leadership in Texas and Democracy Now! in New York. She holds a
degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. When not living out of a suitcase in D.C., Silky
makes her home in Bellingham, Washington near the US-Canada border.
Azadeh Shahshahani serves on the steering committee of Georgia Detention Watch. She has worked for
a number of years in North Carolina and Georgia to protect the human rights of immigrants and Muslim,
Middle Eastern, and South Asian communities. She previously served as National Security/Immigrants’
Rights Project Director with the ACLU of Georgia. Azadeh is a past president of the National Lawyers Guild.
She is the author or editor of several human rights reports, including a 2012 report titled Prisons of Profits:
Immigrants and Detention in Georgia.
Salvador Sarmiento is Campaign Coordinator for the 48-member National Day Laborer Organizing Network
(NDLON). His work over the past couple years centered on the Not1More and local n state TRUST Act
campaigns, and now ICE Out efforts. Previously, he was Legal and Advocacy Officer at the RFK Center for
Human Rights, collaborating with activists in Mexico, Haiti, the DR, and the US Gulf Coast. On twitter:
@sg_ndlon
Inas Shnewer is the sister of FBI entrapped prisoner Mohamed Shnewer. Inas has recently completed her
Master’s in Microbiology. When her brother was arrested in 2007, Inas focused on supporting her family.
Meanwhile, she connected with community members and activists who formed the Fort Dix support
committee. She organized her local community to establish a campaign to challenge policies of the “war on
terror.” As a member of National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms, Inas, with other affected families are
working on educating communities about home grown entrapment cases, policies of the war on terror, and
against the prison industrial complex.
Ghita Schwarz is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights. She works on racial
justice, immigrants’ rights, and government misconduct and transparency. Her current cases include
Detention Watch Network v. ICE, Immigrant Defense Project v. ICE, Hassan v. City of New York, and U.S.
and Vulcan Society v. City of New York. Prior to coming to the Center for Constitutional Rights, she worked
at LatinoJustice PRLDEF, the Door Legal Services Center, and Legal Services for New York City. Ghita
graduated from Harvard College and Columbia Law School.
Jessica Shulruff Schneider is the Supervising Attorney for the Detention and Asylum, Residency
and Citizenship programs at AI Justice. Jessica speaks at conferences regarding immigration laws and
procedures, and provides training and technical assistance to other attorneys. Before working at AI Justice,
Jessica worked at Catholic Charities Legal Services of Miami. The daughter of Cuban immigrants, Jessica
received a Juris Doctor and Masters of Art in Cultural Anthropology from Duke University. She received her
Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida.
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Mary Small is the Policy Director at Detention Watch Network. Prior to joining DWN, Mary was a Protection
Advisor for Global Detention Strategy at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the
Assistant Director for Policy at Jesuit Refugee Service/USA. Mary received a master’s in Public Policy from
the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, and her bachelor’s degree from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Liz Sweet has over ten years of experience advocating on behalf of people in immigration detention through
legal services and policy advocacy. Liz is currently the Managing Attorney for HIAS, a global refugee
protection agency. Prior to that, she worked at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services where she
directed the Access to Justice program and managed pilot alternative to detention initiatives. She also
worked with the American Bar Association (ABA). Liz received her BA from the School for International
Training and her JD from Northeastern University.
Arturo J. Viscarra is the Advocacy Coordinator at SOA Watch. Arturo’s family was forced to flee El Salvador
shortly after his birth. Arturo obtained an M.A. in International Relations and a J.D. from Boston University.
Practicing immigration law since 2007 has allowed him to better understand why Central Americans
emigrate to the U.S. The Honduran coup of 2009 pushed him to advocate for greater solidarity with the
immigrant diaspora in Latin America, and everyone struggling against exploitation and militarization. He
continues to practice immigration law, while working not quite full-time at SOA Watch.
Katherine Weathers is a visitor volunteer and co-coordinator of the Etowah Visitation Project, (a member
organization of CIVIC), visiting at the Etowah County Detention Center in Gadsden, Alabama. I have been
with the project since its inception and approval by the Sheriff of Etowah County in November 2013. In my
spare time, I am a quilt maker, gardener, and member of a mostly girls Ukulele band.
Carl Takei litigates prison, jail, and immigration detention conditions class action lawsuits in federal court and
perform advocacy on issues of mass incarceration, prison privatization, and immigration detention. He is lead
author of the 2014 ACLU report, Warehoused and Forgotten: Immigrants Trapped in Our Shadow Private
Prison System and a co-author of the 2016 ACLU/NIJC/DWN report Fatal Neglect: How ICE Ignores Deaths
in Detention.
Michael Tan is a Staff Attorney at the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project (IRP). His practice includes litigation
and advocacy relating to immigration detention and immigrants’ access to education. He is a graduate of
Harvard College and the Yale Law School and also holds a Master’s Degree in Comparative Literature from
New York University. After law school, Michael clerked for the Honorable M. Margaret McKeown of the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and worked at IRP as a Skadden Fellow and a Liman Public Interest
Fellow. In 2014, he was awarded a California Lawyer of the Year Award in Immigration Law for his work on
Rodriguez v. Robbins.
Emily Tucker is a Senior Staff Attorney for Immigrant Rights at the Center for Popular Democracy. Emily
works in coalition with partners around the country to make policy that promotes civil rights and racial justice.
Much of her work focuses on severing the relationship between immigration enforcement and the criminal
justice system. Most recently, Emily served as Director of Policy and Advocacy at Detention Watch Network.
Emily graduated with a JD from Boston University, an MA from Harvard University and a BA from McGill
University.
Amilcar Valencia is originally from El Salvador. Amilcar has the experience of accompanying people affected
by immigration detention since 2010 when he was a founding member of El Refugio, a hospitality house
and visitation program at the Stewart Detention Center. In June 2015 Amilcar was named El Refugio’s first
Executive Director. He is a steering committee member of Georgia Detention Watch. Amilcar previously
worked for the Georgia Latino Alliance for Humans Rights (GLAHR) as a Community Organizer. Amilcar
graduated from the University of Central America, UCA, El Salvador.
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Travel Information
Ground Transportation
As a reminder, you are responsible for securing and covering the costs for ground transportation.
BWI Airport Transportation to The Grand/Embassy Suites
Super Shuttle: We have negotiated a discounted rate with Super Shuttle. From Baltimore/Washington
International Thurgood Marshall (BWI) the cost is $15 each way or $28 round trip to The Grand/Embassy
Suites. Reservations are required to obtain this discount. Please keep in mind, this is a shared ride service
and additional passengers, outside of our group, will most likely be part of your transfer into downtown
Baltimore. Please call 1.800.258.3826 to make reservations and be sure to mention the group code SAG38.
You can also make this reservation online by going to this link: supershuttle.com/default.aspx?GC=SAG38.
Upon arrival to the airport: Please retrieve your baggage and follow signs to the SuperShuttle ticket
counter near baggage claim and check in by name or confirmation #. The agent will assist you in boarding the
next available shuttle.
Taxi Service: Approximately $30 each way
Amtrak Train – Baltimore Penn Station to The Grand/Embassy Suites
Taxi Service: Approximately $10 each way
Welcome to
Baltimore
Guide
Hotel Information – Embassy Suites
The Embassy Suites Inner Harbor hotel is an ideal location in the heart of the business district, just 10 miles
from BWI Airport. Enjoy proximity to the famous Inner Harbor, National Aquarium and Science Center, and
find shops, dining venues, and the Mt. Vernon Cultural District, all within walking distance.
For check-in, refer to your confirmation number that was provided to you in a separate email. Reminder, you
are responsible for providing a credit card at check-in. If you received a lodging award or have a discounted
room through DWN, the room rate and tax will be paid by DWN and you are responsible for incidentals.
Embassy Suites Inner Harbor
222 St. Paul Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: 410-727-2222
Fax: 410-685-4216
Check-In: 4:00pm
Check-Out: 11:00am
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For Hotel Guests
• Complimentary continental breakfast buffet open Monday -Friday, 6:00 am to 9:00 am.
Saturday & Sunday 7:30 am – 10:30 am
• Daily evening reception from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm that includes complimentary drinks and snacks
• Complimentary internet
• Two dual-line telephones
• Coffee maker & mini refrigerator
• Electronic safe
• Iron/ironing board
• Flat screen television
• Indoor parking garage (city owned)
• 24-hour Fitness center
• Swimming pool (indoor)
• In-Room dining from 6:00 am to 12:00 am (midnight)
• Business center (self-service)
Embassy Suites/The Grand Parking Information
The Embassy Suites/The Grand utilizes the St. Paul Place (210 St. Paul )garage, which is fully maintained
and serviced by the LAZ Company. The entrance to this garage is adjacent to the hotel. The garage can be
accessed from either St. Paul Place, just past the valet stand of the hotel or from Saratoga Street.
There are two options for parking at the hotel/event space.
Self-Parking: Rate is $16 inclusive of tax – per 24hr period and paid to the garage directly. There are no in/
out privileges at this garage. Entrance to the garage after 4pm with exit prior to 6am will have a flat rate of
$5. Upon entering the garage you will receive a ticket. You will need this ticket to exit the garage so please
be sure you keep this in a safe spot. For departures, you will need to go to the Pay On Foot parking machine
located on the main level of the garage. You will need your original ticket and payment. Your ticket will go
into the machine first, followed by payment. Credit cards and cash accepted.
Driving Directions to The Grand/Embassy Suites
From New York/Philadelphia:
› Take 95 South towards Baltimore/Washington, D.C.
› Take Exit 53 towards I-395 towards Downtown/Inner Harbor
› Take Right on Conway Street
› Take Left on Charles Street
› Turn Right on East Saratoga Street
› Take Right on St. Paul Street – hotel located on the right
From Washington, DC:
› Take 295 North towards Baltimore
› Enter the city and remain on 295, this will turn into Russel Street
› Take Right on Pratt Street
› Take Left on Charles Street
› Take Right on East Saratoga Street
› Take Right on St. Paul Street – hotel located on the right
From BWI Airport:
› Take 1-95 West towards Baltimore
› Take Exit 2A for 295 North towards Baltimore
› Enter the city and remain on 295, this will turn into Russel Street
› Take Right on Pratt Street
› Take Left on Charles Street
› Take Right on East Saratoga Street
› Take Right on St. Paul Street – hotel located on the right
Valet Parking: Rate is $34, plus tax for overnight guests and $20 daily for guests not staying in the hotel.
Meals
If you are staying at the hotel, you are entitled to complimentary breakfast. You will be required to provide
your room number to the host at the restaurant for breakfast.
In addition, DWN will be providing continental breakfast, lunch and snacks Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Any meals on your arrival/travel day, and dinners are at your own expense. There are many options to choose
from for your evening meals. The hotel concierge can assist you with finding wonderful options within
walking distance of the hotel.
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Dietary Needs
If you indicated special dietary needs during your event registration process, we have made arrangements on
your behalf at each of the meal functions. If not, please provide email Kirsten Slowey (kirsten@easternbay.
net) with this important information.
Walking Directions from Embassy Suites to Cazbar Restaurant
Thursday, April 21, DWN Fundraising Reception
Cazbar: 316 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
DWN Fundraising Reception
Exiting the Main Entrance Embassy Suites:
1. Take a LEFT outside of the hotel (St. Paul St.)
2. At the first corner, E. Saratoga Street, take a RIGHT
3. Continue to walk up the street to the first light – cross N. Charles at the designated cross walk
4. Take a RIGHT on N. Charles Street
5. Restaurant is located 1 block up N. Charles on the left side of the street
Thursday, April 21st at 6:00 pm we invite you to join us at Cazbar (316 N. Charles Street) located one block
from The Grand/Embassy Suites. Light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be available.
Optional Restaurants near Embassy Suites/The Grand
Recommended Dress
Please be sure to bring a light jacket/sweater to wear inside the meeting locations, as meeting room
temperature may be a bit cool and dressing in layers is recommended.
Instructions on Travel Between The Embassy Suites Hotel and The Grand
The Embassy Suites Hotel and The Grand Historic Venue are two separate, attached, buildings.
Embassy Suites: 222 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, MD 21202
The Grand: 225 North Charles Street,Baltimore, MD 21201
For Overnight Guests:
1. Take Hotel Elevators to the 5th Floor of the Embassy Suites, following signs to “The Grand”
2. Walk through the connecting hallway until you reach a foyer for the Grand. Enter the Roman Strada
room, on your right, and walk directly through to the Corinthian Foyer.
3.Retrace above steps to return to the Embassy Suites
For Day Guests:
1. Arrive at The Grand Historic Venue’s main entrance, 225 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
2. A Doorman will typically be at the door upon your arrival
3. Proceed to the nearest Elevator, known to venue staff as the “Golden” Elevator
4. Take the Elevator up and follow signs to the Session Rooms as indicated in the Event Agenda.
5. The Grand is easily accessible by the Purple Route Charm City Circulator as well as MTA Bus 003
and Bus 064.
Cazbar - $$
316 N. Charles Street
Sleek spot for Turkish food & dancing. Opens at 11:00am daily.
*Location of the Fundraising Reception on Thursday, April 21st.
Lumbini Restaurant - $$
322 N. Charles Street
This airy, bi-level BYOB choice serves Indian & Nepalese dishes.
Opens at 11:00am daily.
Maisy’s - $$
313 N. Charles Street
Lively neighborhood place offering creative American eats.
Opens at 11:00am daily.
Geishas Sushi & Sake Bar - $$
201 N. Charles Street
Japanese & Korean cuisine, sushi and sake are on the menu at this wood-accented restaurant.
Opens at 5:00pm daily.
Ban Thai - $
340 N. Charles Street
Down-to-earth storefront supplying traditional Thai cooking, plus sushi & sashimi and a full bar.
Opens at 11:00am daily.
B&O American Brasserie - $$$
2 N. Charles Street (Hotel Monaco)
Chic option in the Hotel Monaco featuring innovative, seasonal small plates & New American meals.
Opens at 7:00am-10:00pm daily.
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11th National Member Conference April 21-23, 2016
Sotto Sopra - $$$
405 N. Charles Street
Farm-to-table contemporary Italian cuisine & wines are served in an art-filled, elegant townhouse.
Opens at 5:00pm daily.
Top of the World Observation Level
The perfect starting point for any visit to Baltimore and provides a breathtaking view of the downtown
skyline, Inner Harbor and beyond. Located on the 27th floor of Baltimore’s World Trade Center, it is the
world’s tallest pentagonal building.
Local Attractions
Baltimore is an easy city to navigate by foot. With over 130 attractions within the city limits, visitors can
explore art, science, sports, history, the maritime culture and more. Step outside the Embassy Suites Inner
Harbor and experience the rich mix of history, culture, and entertainment that puts the charm in “Charm
City” from our convenient location.
National Aquarium
The National Aquarium is located on the scenic Inner Harbor in Baltimore and is home to 16,000 animals
from more than 660 species of fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals living in award-winning,
naturalistic habitats. Their mission: to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures. *Admission is
half off on Fridays after 5:00 pm.*
Baltimore Spirit Cruises
Experience Baltimore on the water in and around Inner Harbor. Choose from dining cruises; 75-minute Inner
Harbor tours; or a 50-minute sightseeing and speedboat tour. Cruises operated seasonally and year-round.
Fell’s Point Corner Theater
This intimate community theater features an off-Broadway menu for avant-garde and classic plays, including
original productions from Baltimore-based playwrights.
Fort McHenry National Monument
This 18th-century brick fort protected Baltimore Harbor during the War of 1812 and is the birthplace of the
American national anthem. Park rangers offer visitor programs and special events that highlight the park’s
history. Visit the birthplace of the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
Harborplace & The Gallery at Harborplace
At the center of Baltimore renowned Inner Harbor, Harborplace features a mix of 120 unique shops,
restaurants and diverse eateries; plus, live entertainment seasonally on the historic waterfront.
Maryland Science Center
Located across the street from the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore, the MSC is committed to its role of
interpreting and distilling the latest in scientific discovery for the public. Three levels of hands-on exhibits just
waiting to be explored. Save time for an IMAX film, Planetarium show, or see live science on the Demo Stage.
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Vision:
The Detention Watch Network envisions:
• A world without immigration detention where every individual lives freely.
• A nation that fosters racial equality, values migration, and honors family unity.
• A judicial system that promotes human rights and the dignity and due process rights of all persons.
Mission:
Through the collective strength and diversity of its members, the Detention Watch Network exposes
and challenges the injustices of the U.S. immigration detention and deportation system and advocates for
profound change that promotes the rights and dignity of all persons.
Core Purpose:
DWN was founded in 1997 in response to the explosive growth of the immigration detention and deportation
system in the United States. Today, DWN is the only national network that focuses exclusively on
immigration detention and deportation issues. It is recognized as the “go-to” resource on detention issues by
media and policymakers and known as a critical national advocate for just policies that promote an eventual
end to immigration detention. As a member-led network, we unite diverse constituencies to advance the civil
and human rights of those impacted by the immigration detention and deportation system through collective
advocacy, public education, communications, and field-and-network-building.
Principles and Values
The United States is a nation of immigrants and refugees, built on the strengths of many peoples, cultures,
and beliefs, and sustained by the enduring values of fairness, equality, and individual rights. DWN honors this
history and these principles.
• We believe that immigration laws and policies should reflect international human rights standards and
should be enforced in ways that respect the human dignity of all people.
• We believe the struggle for immigrants’ rights is inseparable from the struggle for racial justice and
that we must stand in solidarity with all communities of color impacted by immigration detention and
enforcement
• We believe there are effective alternatives to the use of detention that help people resolve their
immigration status in a just and fair way.
• We stand in solidarity with all immigrants caught in the web of the immigration detention and
enforcement system, and we seek to have each individual be treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• We believe in the power of inclusive, collective movements for social change and believe that by
working together we can be more effective and efficient than as individuals or isolated organizations.
• We seek diverse leadership and membership, particularly from individuals most directly affected by the
immigration detention and deportation system.
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www.detentionwatchnetwork.org
Detention Watch Network
1419 V Street NW
Washington, DC 20009