'Lost in Detention': Film and Panel Discussion

During the last few years, some states have enacted harsh anti-immigrant laws in hopes that the laws will result in the so-called "self-deportation" of undocumented immigrants. The federal government has also deployed tough immigration laws that paved the way for the deportation of more than 1 million "illegal immigrants," under President Obama alone.

Given those facts, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA), in an attempt to promote community dialogue on the criminalization of immigrants, will screen the PBS Frontline documentary Lost in Detention. The documentary is the result of a yearlong investigation by PBS Frontline and the American University's Investigative Reporting Workshop.

The film features correspondent Maria Hinojosa as she takes a closer look at Obama's tough immigration policies, like the controversial Secure Communities. The film also features Hinojosa as she ventures inside the hidden world of immigration detention centers where she uncovers disturbing stories of abuse.

The hourlong film will be followed by a panel discussion with Molly George, a CLU assistant professor of criminal justice and sociology whose current work examines immigrant detentions. She will be joined by Gabriella Navarro-Busch, Jonathan Perez and Isaac Barrera.

Navarro-Busch has been practicing immigration and civil rights law since 2001 and is a recipient of the State Bar of California President's Pro Bono Service Award. Perez and Barrera are undocumented student organizers for the Immigrant Youth Coalition in Southern California.

Admission is free.