Monday, March 6, 2017

34,000 Pillows casting a spotlight on immigration reform

“34,000 Pillows” at UIS are helping to cast a spotlight on immigration reform.

The new exhibit, featuring their latest project, "34,000 Pillows", opened at the University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery Thursday.

It's titled, Safe Harbor, Work By Diaz Lewis, and was developed in response to the congressional mandate enforcing immigration and customs enforcement to detain at least 34,000 immigrants every day in over 250 private prisons and county jails across the country.

"Safe harbor; A harbor is a place where a ship can come into and be safe during a storm, and that's what we're hoping for the immigrant community as well," artist Cara Megan Lewis said.

The exhibit will run through Thursday, April 13. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on March 2, 2017.

Watch the story online.