Coming Soon

During the pandemic, a growing number of countries are releasing migrants from places of immigration detention. In some cases, releases are followed by governments establishing or scaling up alternatives to detention (ATD), or at least key elements of ATD. In other cases, releases are followed by immediate deportations without due process, or followed by homelessness and destitution.

In the context of Covid-19, protecting the rights and dignity of migrants means releasing them from immigration detention into rights-based ATD that ensure access to services, particularly healthcare, adequate housing, food, water and sanitation. Non-custodial community-based alternatives to detention, are a viable solution to mitigate the risks of spread of the virus while ensuring rights and access to services for all, regardless of status.

The current pandemic presents a unique opportunity for IDC and its members to further support adapting ATD to the realities of Covid-19, and managing releases from immigration detention into ATD. More importantly, lessons learned from processes, challenges, and impacts during the health crisis, will be key to securing the sustainability of promising responses beyond Covid-19, and showcasing how migration can be governed without immigration detention.

IDC is currently tracking and capturing promising practices and responses. This section will include country write-ups and research pieces as they are developed.