Death by Detention video addresses unjust immigration system

VOTE for Breakthrough's immigration video "death by Detention," selected as a finalist for the 2009 DoGooderTV Nonprofit Awards. Go to Staff Long-Form Finalists, choose "death by Detention," and help change an unjust immigration system!



Major press outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post have reported on a dangerous “system of neglect” in immigration detention centers across the United States. Told from the point of view of her sister June Everett, this tragic video unravels the story of Sandra Kenley, a 52-year-old grandmother, who, after living in the U.S. legally for 33 years, was subjected to inhumane conditions that caused her death in detention.

To have these stories heard, be sure to VOTE by midnight April 25th!

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Breakthrough Releases Two New Immigration Videos

Breakthrough (www.breakthrough.tv) has just released two powerful new immigration videos:

Juana Villegas: A Pregnant Woman Detained Watch Juana relate the trauma of being shackled and detained while giving birth. She was nine months pregnant when stopped for "careless driving”, but instead of receiving a customary citation, she was shackled and detained, and remained shackled while giving birth. All this because of agreement 287(g) between local police and federal immigration authorities.

Ali: An HIV+ Man Suffers in Detention Ali has been living in New York city for 30 years with a green card. Life changed when he spent more than a year in immigrant detention where he witnessed the worst kind of physical abuse and medical mistreatment, including constantly fighting to get his HIV medication. Despite all this, Ali reaffirms that “life is beautiful”!

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Don't Deport Me, Scotty

Today, Breakthrough released a new video called "Don't Deport Me, Scotty". Breakthrough is an international human rights organization that uses media, education and pop culture to promote values of dignity, equality and justice.

"Don't Deport Me, Scotty" takes a look at what happens when a permanent member of a popular space crew finds his status is in question. In any galaxy, when we deny due process and human rights to some, we put all of our freedoms at risk.


To learn more about Breakthrough and their mission of promoting values of dignity, equality and justice, please visit their website at www.breakthrough.tv

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Simulator Tackles Complexities of Being an Immigrant

Organization seeks to create awareness of unfair U.S. immigration policies with new simulator

Yesterday, Breakthrough, an international human rights organization launched “ICED -- I Can End Deportation” an education tool to be used by students to help them understand the difficult challenges immigrants face under unfair immigration policies. The program was created in partnership with various community-based organizations, high school teachers and students from high schools and after-school programs across New York City.

Under current immigration laws in the United States, many immigrants are often denied due process and basic human rights, which even judges are prevented from affecting. In addition, harsh punishments may also be levied for minor offenses including indefinite detention. Responding to this fact, Breakthrough says, “when we let the government deny due process and human rights for some people, we put all of our freedoms at risk.

Users of ICED will come to realize it isn’t only undocumented immigrants that suffer under the U.S.’s immigration policy. One character users can choose to inhabit—a Japanese student on a visa-- demonstrates the challenges even documented immigrants face navigating the U.S..

Although “ICED” has been billed to the media as a “video game”, Breakthrough makes it clear that the situation many immigrants find themselves in on a daily basis is anything but a game.

“ICED -- I Can End Deportation” can be downloaded from Breakthrough’s Website by linking to www.icedgame.com

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