Following an organized tour of the Wackenhut Detention Center in Queens, New York (an INS facility), testimony by a former prison chaplain about how prisoners are better treated than INS detainees; Testimony by other religious leaders, including an Imam, a rabbi an officer of New York's Catholic Archdiocese; Testimony from Mr. Fofana, a Liberian, about his experience coming to US as an asylee; A rep from Congressman Gerald Nadler's office reads a statement. Lawyer's Committee for Human Rights atty Eleanor Acer speaks about pending legislation to address problems of detainees; another religious leader speaks; Dr. Allen Keller of Survivors of Torture speaks about the psychological effects of detention; more from Mr. Fofana about his time in Wackenhut; Will Coley of Jesuit Refugee Service speaks; another woman speaks.

Sierra Leonean journalist Aroun Rashid Deen discusses the political situation in Sierra Leone. He also talks about how he was able to come to the US without being detained.

Interview with Will Coley, an aid worker with the Jesuit Refugee Service. He talks about the conditions in the INS detention centers and how his organization deals with the spiritual needs of the detainees.

Mohammed Bilhoba Interview. This is an interview with a detainee in the Elizabeth INS detention center. He is an asylum seeker from Sierra Leone who tells his story of all that he has been through to get to America, and what he is experiencing now.

This is a detailed interview with Eleanor Acer, a pro bono lawyer with The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights. She discusses the legal aspects of detention, how the laws have changed over the years, and how they will hopefully evolve in the future.

Laura Adjangba Interview. Laura Adjangba is a Staff Attorney for Legal Services in New Jersey, and represents asylum seekers at the Elizabeth detention center. She discusses her experiences with particular cases and clients, and their experiences in the legal system, and in particular Sierra Leonean clients.

The tape features an in-depth interview with Ran Schijanovich, a lawyer with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network in Newark, New Jersey where he represents asylum seekers held in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In these videos, Ran discusses not only the legal aspects of detention, but also the psychological toll that it can have both on the detainees and the lawyers who deal with these cases.

The tape features an in-depth interview with Ran Schijanovich, a lawyer with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network in Newark, New Jersey where he represents asylum seekers held in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In these videos, Ran discusses not only the legal aspects of detention, but also the psychological toll that it can have both on the detainees and the lawyers who deal with these cases.

This video documents the life of a young detainee, Abdulai Bah, after he has gained asylum. It follows him in an average day of his life, at home, in the neighborhood, getting on a ferry, on a subway, and going to work.

Abdulai had arrived at Newark Intl Airport in October 2000 as an undocumented asylum seeker fleeing the conflict in Sierra Leone. He spent 4 months in detention at Elizabeth before his asylum was secured.

Interview and b-roll with former detainee Abdulai Bah at The International Center. He is learning English in a class with other asylum applicants.

Abdulai had arrived at Newark Intl Airport in October 2000 as an undocumented asylum seeker fleeing the conflict in Sierra Leone. He spent 4 months in detention at Elizabeth before his asylum was secured.

Interview with Abdulai Bah, who was granted asylum after a 4-month detention by the INS in Elizabeth, NJ. He tells the story of his life in Sierra Leone during the civil war: his mother and brother were killed by the RUF, and he was arrested. He was able to escape to Guinea, and with help secured false papers which got him to Newark Intl Airport in October of 2000. He describes his arrest by the INS, his detention at the Elizabeth, NJ center, the conditions in the detention center, the routines, other detainees he met, the legal process, and how someone from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) took on his case and secured his release and asylum. He talks about his life since his release, his job, and his goal to become a journalist.

The 3 interviews focus on the conditions in the system of detention. Dr. Adeyinka Akinsulure Smith describes the psychological trauma that refugees go through the war: the use of young girls and boys to fight in the war by the rebels, the internally displaced people, who exerience the lack of any perspective and the fear for their relatives. Dr. Hawthorne Smith claims that retraumatization can be caused by the system of detention and argues for the "erosion of civil liberties"; especially after 9/11 those who have escaped from their country and are Muslims or have an Arabic background feel out of control of their own situation and fear they may be deported back. John Wilkinson has been working for 2 years visiting detainees from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cameroon. He says the conversation with the detainee is like in prison.

Interview (continued) with John Wilkinson, a Detention Center Visit Coordinator, who has been working for 2 years visiting detainees from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cameroon at the Wackenhut and Elizabeth detention centers. He says the conversation with the detainee is similar to that in a prison in the way that you have to speak through a glass and a phone, and you never get to shake the person's hand. Detainees have no "outside" where they can get fresh air. They never see the sky.

Interview with Ran Schijanovich, lawyer with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network in Newark New Jersey, who represents asylum seekers held in the Elizabeth, NJ detention facility. He talks about the procedure for applying for asylum and the conditions inside as well as the toll it has taken on him. He is leaving after 2 years because of the emotional toll. He described differences in post-September 11th asylum-seeking process, how it has been speeded up and the outcomes more likely to go against the seeker, how claims from persons from Arab or Islamic countries are more likely to be turned down, He describes how depressed the detainees can become, and the difficulty of obtaining volunteer interpreters

Interview with Jean-Pierre Kamwa, who left Cameroon after suffering torture and imprisonment. He escaped to the US, and was granted asylum on April 21, 2000, after 5 months in an INS detention center.

Interview with Jill Stein, a woman who volunteers as a personal visitor to African detained asylum seekers. She discusses her experiences with them, the conditions of the detention center, as well as the state of the detention visiting programs.

Interview with Foday Koroma, a detained asylum seeker from Sierra Leone. He discusses the court' decision to not grant him asylum. The grounds of this decision were that the judge did not believe the man's testimony that his family had been killed in Sierra Leone.

Abdulai Bah, an asylee from Sierra Leone, playing with young girl, and an interview with his cousin and her husband. They talk about how they found out that he was in the detention center, what its like to visit, how they have helped (by getting him documentation and giving him a place to stay) and what he's like outside (positivity of going to school and getting a job).

Demonstrationat at INS detention center in support of those who were picked up after 9/11. There are a couple of participant interviews, as well as shots of speakers at the rally. There is also an interview with Jean-Pierre Kamwa who left the Cameroon where he had been imprisoned and tortured, and he talks about his detention process and reactions on arrival at the U.S. when seeking asylum.

Interview with Bill Strasberger, an INS Public Affairs Officer in Washington DC, who speaks about the INS, detention, and asylum seekers.

Nah We Yone meeting to welcome Sierra Leoneans who have recently been granted asylum includes Tommy Foday and Muctarr Jallo, amputee victims of the RUF in Sierra Leone's civil war. They give testimony. Meeting at Riverside Church to bring attention to victims of Sierra Leone conflict. Vernon Reid of band Living Colour is present.

Nah We Yone ("It belongs to us") provides food, clothes, connection with services and social support to Sierra Leonian refugees. This organization offers advocacy services and psychological support to the numerous refugees detained in INS centers.

Nah We Yone meeting to welcome Sierra Leoneans who have recently been granted asylum includes Tommy Foday and Muctarr Jallo, amputee victims of the RUF in Sierra Leone's civil war. They give testimony. Meeting at Riverside Church to bring attention to victims of Sierra Leone conflict. Vernon Reid of band Living Colour is present.

Nah We Yone ("It belongs to us") provides food, clothes, connection with services and social support to Sierra Leonian refugees. This organization offers advocacy services and psychological support to the numerous refugees detained in INS centers.

Nah We Yone meeting to welcome Sierra Leoneans who have recently been granted asylum includes Tommy Foday and Muctarr Jallo, amputee victims of the RUF in Sierra Leone's civil war. They give testimony. Meeting at Riverside Church to bring attention to victims of Sierra Leone conflict. Vernon Reid of band Living Colour is present.

Nah We Yone ("It belongs to us") provides food, clothes, connection with services and social support to Sierra Leonian refugees. This organization offers advocacy services and psychological support to the numerous refugees detained in INS centers.

Footage of New York City Includes: Site of September 11th World Trade Center bombing - ground zero and environs. Footage includes memorial banners on fence, street signs, ground zero shot through fence and from interior of World Financial Center, interior shots of WFC / LSs of Statue of Liberty taken from ferry, lower Manhattan skyline shot from ferryt / VS harbor, Statue of Liberty, skyline, soaring seagull / Times Square at night, including street scenes, street signs, news ticker, neon lights, good wide shots, traffic, crowds / MS American flag flying in dim light / CUs paintings on street - various NYC landscapes, most of which feature World Trade Center / CU street signs Central Park South and 5th Ave / Exteriors Tiffany & Co, Trump Tower, street scenes, Ext Disney Store, flags flying outside building, WS Rockefeller Center with flags, crowds, statue, golden statue at ice skating rink, shots of souvenirs in store window, store ext with Statue of Liberty replica / LS Ext Chrysler Building, pan side of double-decker bus / Ext Metropolitan Museum / night - streets taken from moving car / Interior gallery: Exhibition titled 'Defaced' featuring portraits of INS detainees by artist Valerie Allard, CUs paintings / AUDIO ONLY of interview with Valerie Allard, an artist with an exhibit on post 9/11 detention.

Interview with Valerie Allard. Poor sound.

Interview with Bill Strasberger, an INS Public Affairs Officer in Washington DC, who speaks about the INS, detention, and asylum seekers.

The tape features an in-depth interview with Ran Schijanovich, a lawyer with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network in Newark, New Jersey where he represents asylum seekers held in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In these videos, Ran discusses not only the legal aspects of detention, but also the psychological toll that it can have both on the detainees and the lawyers who deal with these cases.

Interview with Abdulai Bah, who was granted asylum after a 4-month detention by the INS in Elizabeth, NJ. He tells the story of his life in Sierra Leone during the civil war: his mother and brother were killed by the RUF, and he was arrested. He was able to escape to Guinea, and with help secured false papers which got him to Newark Intl Airport in October of 2000. He describes his arrest by the INS, his detention at the Elizabeth, NJ center, the conditions in the detention center, the routines, other detainees he met, the legal process, and how someone from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) took on his case and secured his release and asylum. He talks about his life since his release, his job, and his goal to become a journalist.

Interview with Abdulai Bah, who was granted asylum after a 4-month detention by the INS in Elizabeth, NJ. He tells the story of his life in Sierra Leone during the civil war: his mother and brother were killed by the RUF, and he was arrested. He was able to escape to Guinea, and with help secured false papers which got him to Newark Intl Airport in October of 2000. He describes his arrest by the INS, his detention at the Elizabeth, NJ center, the conditions in the detention center, the routines, other detainees he met, the legal process, and how someone from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) took on his case and secured his release and asylum. He talks about his life since his release, his job, and his goal to become a journalist.

Interview with Foday Koroma, a detained asylum seeker from Sierra Leone. He discusses the court' decision to not grant him asylum. The grounds of this decision were that the judge did not believe the man's testimony that his family had been killed in Sierra Leone.