403 Forbidden
www.commondreams.org

Cable news people call them “prison camps” or “Trump prison camps,” but look in any dictionary: prisons are where people convicted of crimes are held. As Merriam-Webster notes, a prison is:

“[A]n institution for confinement of persons convicted of serious crimes.”

But what do you call a place where people who’ve committed no criminal offense (immigration violations are civil, not criminal, infractions)? The fine dictionary people at Merriam-Webster note the proper term is “concentration camp”:

“[A] place where large numbers of people (such as prisoners of war, political prisoners, refugees, or the members of an ethnic or religious minority) are detained or confined under armed guard.”

  • Horsecook@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    11·
    7 hours ago

    But what do you call a place where people who’ve committed no criminal offense (immigration violations are civil, not criminal, infractions)?

    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1325

    (a) Any alien who (1) enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or (2) eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers, or (3) attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact, shall, for the first commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both, and, for a subsequent commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18, or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both.

    • RustyEarthfire@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 hours ago

      Only a small fraction of the people abducted have been convicted of any offense, let alone those listed. Many aren’t even accused of any of those actions (e.g. overstaying a visa does not require fraud or evasion)