Political economy: why prisons and detention persist

E20 - Detention Watch Network executive director Silky Shah has been organizing against ICE on the ground to fight throughout the agency’s entire 23-year existence. We are excited to welcome her and her unique perspective to Opening Arguments to discuss both the urgency and the hope of our current moment, the challenges faced by organizers and advocates, what lawyers can (and can’t) do in the face of a lawless system, and imagining life after ICE.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

1. Unbuild Walls: Why Immigrant Justice Needs Abolition, Silky Shah (2024) 

2. “Congress Has Made ICE the Largest Law Enforcement Agency In The Country,” Silky Shah, Truthout (1/20/2025)

3. Detention Watch Network website

4. Donate directly to support Detention Watch Network

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