SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Panel Discussion: Chaired by Paolo Novak
What are the arguments for working towards an end to immigration detention?

• Economic -  Meena Venkatachalam
• Social
• Legal - Alison Pickup
• Medical

Panel Debate: Chaired by Nick Gill
What are the strategic opportunities and risks of advocating for ‘alternatives’ to detention?

Adeline Trude from BiD and Jerome Phelps from DA. Questions to be addressed are:

• Should we be promoting existing ‘alternatives’ such as bail, or case management programmes involving engagement with migrants?
• Does calling for ‘alternatives’ conflict with principled opposition to border control?
• Should ‘alternatives’ involve discussion of assisted return?
• Will ‘alternatives’ to Detention inevitably be co-opted?

Group Workshops:
How are organisations, groups and individuals already working towards an end to immigration detention?

• National Campaigns – STAR
• Legal Challenges
• Research - Nick Gill
• Community Organising - Movement for Justice
• Direct Case Work Support Groups – Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID)
• Visiting – SOAS Detainee Support (SDS)

(The idea is to have seven different sessions running simultaneously, of which one can choose to attend two. The aim of this is to understand what sort of forms of ‘positive action’ against detention are already happening and how we can try to support one another, as individuals or organisations, in these endeavors)