"THANKFUL SLAVES". THE LIBERAL VIEW OF THE FIGHT OVER JUSTICE

WHEN DID "JUSTICE FOR THE POPULAR CAUSE" BECOME THE LAW OF THE LAND?

Preamble: A Tale of Two Injustices

In recent years, America has witnessed a wave of political and street-level activism—loud, relentless, and often destructive—all in the name of defending the supposed rights of illegal immigrants. Across the country, liberal politicians and self-styled revolutionaries have blocked ICE facilities, rioted in urban centers, and taken to social media platforms to decry the "inhumanity" of the immigration enforcement system. But while they claim moral superiority in championing foreign nationals, just minutes away from these protests, U.S. citizens—many of them poor, mentally ill, or simply forgotten—are left to rot in overcrowded, understaffed jails with little to no advocacy.

In this warped political ecosystem, judges have risked prosecution to help illegal aliens evade ICE officers within courthouse walls. Entire cities have rewritten their laws to shield non-citizens from immigration enforcement. And yet, in the very same courthouses, defendants facing minor charges are denied bail, legal aid is stretched thin, and prison sentences are handed out without protest. There is no rally, no media blitz, no celebrity hashtag for them.

This grotesque imbalance isn't just political theater—it’s a moral and civic betrayal. The majority of U.S. prisoners serve time in a system that no longer aims to correct or reintegrate but to isolate and forget. And why? Because somewhere, deep within the calculations of political operatives, a decision was made: these citizens—disproportionately working-class and noncompliant with the progressive line—could not be trusted to vote "the right way." Better to ignore their suffering and focus on a more ideologically useful population.

This paper explores the layered hypocrisy embedded in this modern crusade. It compares, side by side, the systems that detain U.S. citizens and those that hold illegal migrants. It exposes the stark differences in rights, conditions, and due process. And it confronts the uncomfortable truth: that the progressive movement's selective outrage has become not a tool of justice—but a weapon of manipulation.

I. Legal Framework and Classification

Category	U.S. Criminal Justice System	Immigration Detention (ICE/CBP)
Legal Basis	Criminal (5th, 6th, 14th Amendments)	Civil administrative (Title 8 USC)
Court System	Article III federal/state courts	Article I immigration courts (DOJ)
Type of Detainee	Citizens/legal residents with criminal charges or convictions	Non-citizens, undocumented migrants, asylum seekers
Right to Counsel	Guaranteed (public defender if indigent)	Not guaranteed—must find or pay for attorney
Right to Speedy Trial	Yes (6th Amendment)	No statutory limit on hearing timelines
Right to Bail	Yes (unless denied for flight risk/danger)	Limited; bond not guaranteed, often denied

II. Conditions of Detention

Condition	U.S. Jails/Prisons	CBP Holding / ICE Detention
Sleeping	Beds with linens, basic cell furnishings	Mats or floors, no bedding in CBP; ICE varies
Sanitation	Mandated toilets, showers, hygiene access	Shared toilet-sink combos; hygiene often minimal
Temperature	Regulated HVAC systems	Cold environments common ("hieleras")
Medical Access	Basic and emergency care; some mental health	Emergency only in CBP, minimal in ICE
Outdoor Access	Required daily yard time	None in CBP; ICE varies widely
Meals	Hot meals, calorie-regulated	Shelf-stable rations, limited nutrition

III. Procedural Disparities

Many immigrants in detention are not first-time offenders in the legal sense. Many have had:

• Prior court dates they did not attend

• Final orders of removal

• Asylum claims denied through due process

In contrast, U.S. citizens who violate bail, probation, or parole are remanded without further procedural leeway. They are jailed immediately, and any subsequent hearings are typically procedural rather than deliberative.

Violation	U.S. Citizen	Illegal Immigrant
Failure to Appear	Arrest warrant, jail upon contact	Removal in absentia; may avoid ICE custody via sanctuary policies
Probation Violation	Returned to jail/prison immediately	May remain free if not apprehended
Prior Adjudication	Sentence enforced	Removal delayed or contested again

IV. Political and Cultural Narratives

Progressive and socialist-aligned activists often center their advocacy around illegal immigrants, portraying them as helpless victims of an oppressive U.S. system. Their framing relies on emotionally resonant imagery: children in cages, separated families, and asylum seekers fleeing violence.

Meanwhile, U.S. citizens—especially those incarcerated for low-level or non-violent crimes—are rarely featured in these campaigns. Despite facing abusive conditions, overcrowding, and lack of mental health support, American inmates receive little organized advocacy, especially from the same political groups defending illegal immigrants.

Why the Asymmetry?

• Emotional Optics: Migrants are portrayed as innocent victims; inmates as guilty.

• Political Leverage: Immigration policy is a powerful tool for ideological activism.

• Cultural Narrative: Supporting foreign victims fits the broader leftist narrative of Western oppression.

Ironically, many prison reform issues were first addressed under the Trump administration, which initiated the First Step Act—improving rehabilitation, reducing recidivism, and providing early release mechanisms. Yet this effort received limited praise from the same progressive media and activist groups now rallying for illegal immigrants.

V. Duration of Confinement and Enforcement

One of the most striking and under-discussed contrasts between the U.S. penal system and immigration detention is the intended length of confinement. Illegal immigrants held by CBP are, under federal policy, supposed to be detained for no more than 72 hours before being processed, transferred, or released. Even once moved to ICE detention, most migrants are not intended to remain for more than a few weeks or months—though backlogs sometimes extend this.

In stark contrast, U.S. citizens sentenced under criminal statutes often serve years or even decades. Even pretrial detainees—those not yet convicted—can be held for months due to court backlogs or inability to afford bail. These citizens are subjected to far longer, harsher, and more procedurally complex periods of detention.

Factor	Illegal Immigrant (CBP/ICE)	U.S. Citizen (Jail/Prison)
Intended Duration (CBP)	≤ 72 hours (often exceeded)	N/A
Average ICE Detention	Weeks to months	Pretrial: Weeks–Months; Post-conviction: Years–Decades
Legal Framework	Civil (removal proceedings)	Criminal (penal code enforcement)
Advocacy Presence	High visibility, international attention	Low visibility, minimal activism

This reality reveals a profound irony:

The population with the shortest intended time in custody receives the most sustained advocacy and media attention—while the population serving the longest sentences is largely ignored.

Conclusion

There is a clear double standard in how American society—especially its left-wing factions—advocates for detained populations. Illegal immigrants often receive more attention, more legal aid, and more political capital than the American citizens languishing in county jails. True justice reform must address both systems, without ideological favoritism, and without obscuring due process realities in pursuit of more photogenic causes.

</div>