Tulane University

The Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida announces a conference, "Imprisoned, Forgotten, and Deported: Immigration Detention, Advocacy, and the Faith Community," at Loyola University, New Orleans, on October 13-14, 2011. The conference is jointly co-sponsored by the UF Center for Latin American Studies, the Jesuit Social Research Institute, the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic, the Center for Social Justice, and the College of Law at Loyola University, and the Roger Thayer Stone Center for Latin American Studies at Tulane University. The Ford Foundation is providing major funding for the event.

The conference builds on work of the Center's Initiative for Immigration, Religion, and Social Change in the US South with support from the Ford Foundation. The goals of the conference are: 1) to raise public awareness of the realities of (immigrant) detention in the South and understand its major elements; 2) to engage scholars and the university communities more deeply in the detention reality in the South; 3) to assess the impact of (immigrant) detention on faith communities and develop a more comprehensive faith/theological framework for looking at and responding to detention; 4) to expand advocacy strategies for dealing with detention and explore alternatives to detention; and 5) to re-frame public policy regarding the detention of unauthorized immigrants and native-born minorities.

In order to achieve these goals, the conference organizers are convening a diverse group of policy and opinion makers, graduate and undergraduate students, lawyers, members of faith communities, activists, leaders in the local African-American and Latino communities, as well as scholars of immigration and religion. Featured speakers and panelists include:
Laura Sullivan, National Public Radio

• Miguel De La Torre, Professor of Social Ethics, Iliff School of Theology
• Frank Sharry, America's Voice
• Kevin Appleby, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Andrea Black, Detention Watch Network
• Dr. Dora Schriro, Commissioner, New York City Department of Corrections

More information on registration and accommodations can be found at the University of Florida Event Page

For program information, please contact Dr. Manuel Vásquez at the University of Florida by phone (352) 273-2945 or email.

For logistical information, please contact Alisa Woofter at the University of Florida, email