Why This Book Matters

Unbuild Walls makes a clear and urgent case for why immigrant justice work must be rooted in abolitionist strategy. Drawing from two decades of movement experience, Silky Shah exposes the deep entanglement between immigration enforcement, mass incarceration, and systemic racism. This book moves beyond policy critique to offer a grounded framework for dismantling the immigrant detention system through organizing, narrative shift, and structural resistance.

Shah outlines the practical realities of detention and deportation, lifting up the work of grassroots organizations across the country that have led the fight against immigrant prisons. She shares stories of campaign wins, coalition building, and community resilience, showing that abolition is not just a theory. It is a strategic and actionable path toward justice.

For organizers, legal advocates, funders, and educators, Unbuild Walls is both a call to conscience and a guide to long-term movement building. Use it to reframe your work, deepen your commitment to cross-movement solidarity, and build power with those most directly impacted by the immigrant enforcement machine.