The Women’s Refugee Commission has just completed a series of short videos on some of the most pressing issues facing immigrants and those seeking asylum in the United States. Learn more about the conditions they face, how their rights are routinely violated and the ways in which we advocate for reforms in policy—and practice.

Alternatives to Detention
On any given day more than 32,000 people are detained in the United States for immigration reasons, many in prison-like conditions. Yet most have no criminal convictions and are waiting for a hearing to determine whether they have violated civil immigration laws.

In this video, find out about alternatives to detention that are not only more humane, but much more cost effective and practical.

Keeping Families Together
Five million children in the U.S. have at least one undocumented parent; the majority of these children were born here and are U.S. citizens. As immigration enforcement increases, more and more parents are detained and/or deported, with little time or opportunity to make arrangements for their children—who then end up in the U.S. child welfare system.

In this video, learn about our current immigration laws and how the Women’s Refugee Commission is working to change policies to keep families together.

Protecting Immigrant Children
Every year thousands of children come the United States alone. They face many risks during their journey to this country, including sexual assault and trafficking. And these dangers don’t lessen when they reach the United States; when they arrive at the U.S./Mexico border they often face traumatizing treatment at the hands of the U.S. Border Patrol.

In this video, see how we are meeting some of these children, telling their stories and working to protect them.

Protecting Human Rights
Immigration detention in the U.S. is currently based on a penal prison model. Immigrants are often held in conditions that are worse than those for criminals serving a sentence.

In this video, learn how we are working with immigration services to push for reform so that the most basic of human rights are upheld, especially for those most vulnerable.