Abuse and Neglect at Immigrant Detention Centers

The article “New SPLC report uncovers abuse and neglect at immigrant detention center in the South,” discusses the discrimination that has been displayed to immigrants since the election of President-elect Donald Trump. The unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group is evident throughout the article and is otherwise defined as discrimination (Myers, D. G., pg. 245- 246). Ever since the election, there have been many arguments about what will happen in United States with President-elect Donald Trump in office. The article examines how Trump’s deportation plan has affected the way immigrants are being treated. The effects of discrimination and racism as portrayed in the article are the prominent cause in the mental and psychological problems in individuals. In the South, as stated in the article, many immigrants that are detained are regularly and frequently denied their due process rights. Not only are these immigrants denied due process rights, they are also physically and mentally abused, as well as being detained in unsanitary environments, and are not being offered proper medical and mental health treatments. Causing severe sufferings and sometimes deaths, these facilitations lack outdoor recreations, leading to more mental and physical deterioration while awaiting their deportation. These conditions afflicted on immigrants affect the health of so many, families and friends are lost and the toll taken on their lives is often unbearable.

However, these conditions did indeed occur before the President-elect Trump.  An individual’s prejudicial attitudes and discriminating behavior toward people or institutional practices that subordinate people of a given race is defined as racism (Myers, D. G., pg. 245- 246). In my opinion, hate groups have always existed in our society and the election of Donald Trump has just made these people feel more comfortable in displaying their hate. People believe because Donald Trump displayed certain attributes, which some consider racist, sexist, etc., that they can display the same. However, the problem in this country comes from the people themselves and NOT who is in office. Speaking to the concept of prejudices, which can be defined as a negative prejudgment, we are taught to hate. Thus applying the perspective of the differential association theory, stating that deviance is learned, and because it is learned, the actions as well as the justifications as to why are also learned. The way we treat each other should not change when presidents change. Some are taking the election of Donald Trump in an absurd and disgusting way by deciding to treat people so poorly for no apparent reason other than the culture they are apart of. This article shows how people can treat each other so terribly and have no remorse for their actions, when the ramifications are detrimental to the health of the one’s they hurt.

Article: https://www.splcenter.org/news/2016/11/21/new-splc-report-uncovers-abuse-and-neglect-immigrant-detention-centers-south

Textbook: Myers, D. G. (2012). Exploring social psychology (seventh ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Rabusin, M.

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