Research Examines U.S. Immigration Detention Through the Lens of Historical Concentration Camps

Sun, 03 May 2026 12:18:00 +0200

Scholars of international relations and conflict have studied 150 historical cases of camps used for civilian detention since 1896 to identify patterns of repression. They define a concentration camp system using four criteria: targeting specific civilian groups, controlled enclosed spaces, operation outside standard detention norms, and evidence of abuse or neglect. Historical examples include Spanish reconcentrados in Cuba, British camps during the Boer War, the U.S. internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, Argentine military camps in the 1970s, and Chinese detention camps in Xinjiang. Applying these criteria to modern contexts, the researchers argue that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers fit within this framework. ICE currently operates over 240 facilities, detaining tens of thousands of migrants, including U.S. citizens, often without trial and under restrictive conditions. The scholars note systemic issues such as lack of due process, re