Mass Systems

How does the rise of mass deportation relate in time to the rise of mass incarceration? In fact, they go hand in hand. Some of the key legal changes that drove both phenomena were even enacted at the same time and by the same politicians. This interactive line chart depicts the rise of mass incarceration beginning in the 1980s and 90s and the corresponding rise in deportations during this period. Explore our timeline to read more about the 1994 Crime Bill, 1996 IIRIRA, Secure Communities, and other laws and policies that have resulted in the deeply intertwined criminal and immigration law enforcement systems we see today. What other systems might we expect to see move in parallel to the mass deportation system?