The Obama administration announced on August 6 that it will overhaul the nation’s immigrant detention system.  One immediate change: the government will stop sending families to the T. Don Hutto Residential Center, the former medium-security prison near Austin, TX that is the subject of “The Least of These.”

This outcome is a result of a unique collaboration of advocacy efforts, involving grassroots organizing, litigation, public education, and legislative efforts.  Congratulations to all who helped bring about change.  Many concerns about detention policies remain, of course, but this is an important step in the right direction.

Details on the announcement can be found in this New York Times front-page story (which mentions and links to “The Least of These.")

In 2007, a “settlement” to improve conditions at Hutto was reached with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a result of a lawsuit filed by the ACLU and the University of Texas School of Law.  The settlement mandated two years of enforceable standards and oversight, and was due to expire this month.  On August 7, ICE agreed to extend the settlement until all families have left the facility, expected to take place by year’s end.

Last month the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 2010 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security (H.R. 2892).  The accompanying report to the bill stated that the Appropriations Committee…

...believes that detention is not generally appropriate for families and is concerned that the Department does not routinely make Alternatives to Detention available to families it takes into custody. In addition, while the Committee is pleased that ICE developed and implemented detention standards for families held in its custody, it remains concerned that ICE family detention standards are based on adult prison standards. The Committee directs the Department to prioritize the use of Alternatives to Detention program for families who do not need to be held in immigration detention. The Committee further directs the Office of Professional Responsibility to conduct a review of families detained in ICE custody since 2007 and determine whether ICE complied with its own internal guidance for when to hold families in custody and when to release them to Alternatives to Detention programs. The Committee directs ICE to report on the results of this review no later than the submission of the 2011 budget.

This statement is especially significant given that the Hutto settlement agreement (described in “The Least of These") will expire in August, along with federal district court oversight of the facility.

Many thanks to SnagFilms for connecting us to the Center for American Progress, which hosted a standing-room-only screening on May 11, with a panel discussion hosted by new VP for immigration Angie Kelley.  The level of energy and engagement in DC is extraordinary right now.

Click HERE for a link to the 5 minute CAP video about the film.

Click HERE to watch a video of the full panel discussion.

Photos:

Filmmakers Clark Lyda, Marcy Garriott, Jesse Lyda in Washington DC:

Panelists Clark Lyda, Barbara Hines and Michelle Brane with moderator Angie Kelley:

Audience at the Center for American Progress:

THE LEAST OF THESE continues its festival tour!

The audience Q and A discussions have been excellent—broad-ranging and thoughtful.

After a sold-out screening at the Washington D.C. International Film Festival, THE LEAST OF THESE returns to DC Monday 5/11 for a special screening with the Center for American Progress (free, but RSVP required.) We will also be screening in Baltimore this weekend with the Maryland Film Festival, and a week later at the Jacksonville Film Festival in Florida.  See our website for details.

Many thanks to Barbara Hines (University of Texas School of Law), Michelle Brane (Women’s Refugee Commission), Lisa Graybill (ACLU), Denia and Ana Mabel and their families, and Bob Libal (Grassroots Leadership) for their participation.

Amnesty International has just issued a comprehensive report on problems associated with U.S. detention facilities: “Jailed Without Justice: Immigration Detention in the USA.”

You can download the report HERE. 

Our heartfelt thanks to the SXSW 2009 Film Festival for hosting the 3/16 world premiere of “The Least of These,” in conjunction with our on-line release here on SnagFilms.  Audiences were enthusiastic, positive and thoughtful at our two sold-out screenings at the Alamo and our well-attended screening at the Paramount. 

Thanks also to our remarkable distribution partners Indiepix (home video and semi-theatrical screenings) and Cinema Guild (sales/rentals for universities, libraries and institutions)!

We’re kicking off this blog as a means of communications with viewers of the film.  We’ll post news and updates here, and try to answer some of the questions that come up along the way.

Coming soon: a summary of the Q and A sessions that followed our SXSW screenings!