COVID-19 IMPACTS ON IMMIGRATION DETENTION: GLOBAL RESPONSES CONCLUSION As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in Ethiopia over the past months, Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers found themselves caught between radical policy changes which brought greater uncertainty and concerns and the distress and uncertainty brought about by the pandemic. Both the radical policy change and the COVID-19 measures, intensified protection risks for Eritreans which exposes them to the lack of legal protection in Ethiopia and enhances risk of detention. The vulnerability of this population was increased by the application of severe and potentially dangerous exclusion criteriaon to the individual refugee status determination for Eritreans as well as the suspension of reception, registration, and screening of asylum seekers because of the COVID-19 lockdown. In addition, the decision to close Hitsats refugee camp caused further outrage and frustration among refugees residing in the camp. Thus, in the case of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia, COVID-19 is exposing their ongoing institutional, social, and political vulnerabilities, including vulnerabilities to detention. KRISTINA MELICHEROVA PhD candidate at Tilburg University The Netherlands and Mekelle University, Ethiopia MAKEDA SABA PhD candidate at Tilburg University The Netherlands and Tangaza University College, Kenya 18 International Detention Coalition and Western Sydney University