The American Dream

One of the current focuses of El Zocalo's work is advocating for the closure of the 10 especially abusive detention centers. They have joined a national campaign with 300 other organizations to work to promote awareness and write letters to local and national legislators.

The 10 dentention centers singled out for closure by activists for immigrants rights are:

Etowah County Detention Center (AL)
Pinal County Jail (AZ)
Houston Processing Center (TX)
Polk County Jail (TX)
Stewart Detention Center (GA)
Irwin County Detention Center (GA)
Hudson County Jail (NJ)
Baker County Jail (FL)
Theo Lacy Jail (CA)
Tri-County Jail (IL).

Detention Watch Network has recorded several stories of cruelty in these centers. Some detainees are denied adequate food and water, some are denied medical care, and some are even beaten or verbally abused by the detention center employees. In their "Expose and Close" reports, they have detailed specific instances of this mistreatment:

At Pinal County Jail complaints regarding sanitation include receiving food on dirty trays, worms found in food, bugs and worms found in the faucets, receiving dirty laundry, and being overcrowded with ten other men in one cell and only one toilet.

At Polk County Detention Facility, one man showed volunteers from the DNC a fungal infection on his scalp and the medicine he was prescribed.  According to the packaging the medicine was intended for female infections.

A man with serious emotional health problems in the Houston Processing Center in Texas was placed in solitary confinement for months at a time, a practice which the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture has deemed torture.

El Zocalo is one of the signatories of the special letter written to President Obama asking him to do more to close these centers. They also hosted a prayer vigil in respect and solidarity for those who are detained and to demonstrate that there are people who are staunchly opposed to allowing the violation of human rights.



This gross mistreatment of our fellow man is not what the American dream is all about. People come seeking hope and opportunity, only to be faced with cruelty and shame. This is what El Zocalo Immigrant Resource Center seeks to change. They seek to preserve the beauty of the American dream.

Do you?