JUDGE Immigration Judge

CLERK Court Clerk

PRIVATE ATTORNEY Private Immigration Attorneys (2)

DHS ATTORNEY Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Attorney

ICE OFFICERS/GUARDS Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Officers/Guards (2)

Eight Detainees, selected from the audience randomly.


TALK BACK LEADER A practicing immigration attorney or other immigration expert


Note: Actors of any race or gender can play court and detention center/DHS employee roles. Detainee ages, race, and gender are indicated. Actual actor names may be substituted for the judge and attorney names in the script.

Audience members can be selected on the spot by arresting ICE Officers, and provided with their portion of the written script to read their lines. ICE Officers also play the guards at the detention center. Or, actors can play the roles of detainees.

This play is simply staged, and is written for production by schools and community groups with limited monetary resources. It works well as a staged reading since so much of the action involves paper, the written word, and actors seated at tables. After a few rehearsals, non-actors do well in all roles, especially if they are on-book. The setting is utilitarian and bare, and props are simple and few. Courtrooms and prisons are innately theatrical! Their atmosphere can be evoked to spectacular effect with simple sound and lighting. This play is especially suited as the culmination of an immigration study unit in high school and college, with students playing all roles, and inviting the entire school as the audience.

All printed materials needed for the play are included in the production materials digital folder, along with this play script, and production tips and directions. A / at the end of a line indicates an interruption from the following line.