On April 18th, 2011, a week before the No Border! No Nation! Conference, a couple of us were interviewed by DJ Questionmark at Free Radio Olympia. We were not prepared. Expressing oneself in everyday conversation regarding topics as complex and multi-layered as immigration politics, borders, detention and deportation is a daunting task, but that’s no excuse—we should have been ready. Below, some of the answers asked have been expanded upon as means of clarification. Lesson learned. Next time we’ll be on our toes:
“Do you know why it (the detention center) is private?”
Like many immigration detention centers, both nationally and internationally, the NWDC is privately owned. This particular prison is run by the multi-national private prison corporation, GEO Group. The private-prison industry, like any niche in the corporate world, exists for profit. GEO Group and other private prison corporations receive money via federal contract, taxes, and through private and corporate investments . The private-prison industry works along side lobbyists and legislators (check out ALEC: www.alec.org) in order to enact more severe prison legislation. The fact that they are a money-making machine makes them virtually untouchable. Because the Northwest Detention Center is privately owned much of what happens within the facility can slip under the radar without the scrutiny of the greater public. These corporations will do anything and everything in order to turn a buck; they are not concerned with who their decisions effect.
“Can you also tell us about the GEO Group and Wells Fargo and how they play into all of this?”
Wells Fargo is just one of many corporations invested in GEO Group and the detention center. They (Wells Fargo) are a very well-known company and that may be why there has been so much focus on them. But this corporation does not stand alone…many private and corporate investors walk away with their wallets fat from profit made off of the detention center.
Further—these investors are not the only ones pooling profit from the existence of this facility. The companies that are contracted by GEO and provide services for the facility are making money. The city of Tacoma, Pierce county, Washington state and the federal government all receive tax money from this facility. Many non-profits such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army and United Way also receives philanthropic money from GEO group. As you can clearly see, everyone’s hand is in the pot. So the question lies: what incentive would anyone making money from the Northwest Detention Center have to put an end to it? (check out their “partnerships”: http://www.thegeogroupinc.com/partnerships.aps )
“What kind of efforts, in Tacoma, has there been to raise awareness or to resist the existence of the detention center?”
There have been numerous and continuing efforts to resist and raise awareness about the NWDC since it’s inception. People have been writing, holding workshops and talking to people locally and throughout the country about this detention center. There are folks who have held vigils and people who have protested. There are those who provide resources such as legal support to people being detained.
Seemingly—resistance to the NWDC is an uphill battle. The city of Tacoma has done everything in their power to squelch this opposition. Unfortunately, for them, resistance to the detention center cannot and will not be vitiated.
“So I thought that was interesting the, ‘No Borders! No Nations!,’ can you elaborate on that, and what that means? What that would look like?”
It is appalling to me that we live in such a world where people moving to another country, not necessarily by choice but out of economic necessity or to seek asylum, are then used for their labor, shoved into prison, and then kicked out. Most conversation surrounding resistance to current immigration policies, detention and deportation is laced with talk of reform. Reformation of immigration policies and private prison practices have done nothing in the past and will continue to do nothing. Reformation will change the approach to ways in which we close our borders to others. Reformation will make prisons “nicer”—but it will not make them disappear.
Prisons, nations, borders, government, capital—all things that will probably not disappear my lifetime. I am unsure what a world without these entities would look like. I do not resist and oppose nations and borders as means to an end. As an individual, I strive to be autonomous in all aspects of my life. We should be free to live where we want, free to think our own thoughts and express them. I will not be crippled by the impossibility of tearing down borders and prison walls. As long as they exist, I will defy them.
“So what are maybe future plans for resisting the detention center, beyond the conference?..and how con people get involved?”
TBA…Keep your eyes peeled.
-Clere
Oh! and here’s the actual interview:http://www.indybay.org/js/flowplayer/flowplayer.swf.
Please..don’t hesitate to comment on this post! Argue, question, debate…we’d love it.