What Actually Happens in ICE Detention

What Actually Happens in ICE Detention

Author: Runaway Country with Alex Wagner June 4, 2026 Duration: 1:13:17
A new chapter of ICE terror has begun, but instead of taking place on the street—where agents are held accountable by protesters and their phones—mistreatment and coercion is now happening behind the closed doors of ICE detention facilities. These private prisons are operated by a company with close ties to the Trump administration, and have such abominable conditions that detainees at several facilities are waging hunger strikes. To get an idea of the mistreatment immigrants are facing, Alex speaks with Melissa Shepard, an attorney with Immigration Defenders Law Center, whose clients are given dirty water and spoiled food, retaliated against for participating in hunger strikes, and endlessly pressured to self deport. Then, she puts it all into context with Caitlin Dickerson, an immigration reporter at The Atlantic who recently embedded in Honduras to interview  deportees from the U.S.

In a landscape saturated with political talk, Runaway Country with Alex Wagner offers a different kind of conversation. This podcast moves beyond the day-to-day noise of headlines to explore the deeper forces shaping American life. Alex Wagner guides listeners through complex intersections of power, identity, and belief, examining how cultural shifts and government policies resonate in communities across the nation. Each episode is built on thoughtful discussion that connects the dots between news events and their human consequences, asking what current political realities reveal about our society's trajectory. The focus is on understanding the undercurrents-the cultural narratives and historical contexts-that define this moment. You'll hear analysis that prioritizes depth over instant reaction, considering how issues of governance and politics are lived and felt far from the capital's corridors. It’s a space for considering the American story from multiple angles, making sense of a rapidly changing world. For anyone seeking a more nuanced perspective on the forces driving the country, this podcast provides essential listening.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Runaway Country with Alex Wagner
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