January 19, 2023
There are new telephones being provided by ICE to new migrants seeking asylum, however, they are not regular cellular devices. These phones cannot make calls, send text messages, or access the internet. There is not a clear number of how many cell phones have been provided by the government, but they are included in the near quarter of a million migrants that are tracked by ankle monitors or an app named SmartLINK. The migrants under supervision are part of a program called ATD or “alternatives to detention.” The ATD program is not new, with ankle monitoring being used many years prior and the SmartLINK app being used since 2018. Officials claim that using the ATD program is more cost-effective and humane.
These cell phones use facial recognition and GPS technology in order to track migrants. They can also be used to call the migrants at any given time. However, the constant fear of not knowing when they might receive a notification to report causes many migrants to live with anxiety. There were also reports of the SmartLINK app malfunctioning and not being able to read the facial recognition of migrants, causing them to almost miss their check-in. Additionally, some migrants have reported that they have issues with charging and powering the device. This anxiety and fear of missing a check-in because of a technology issue is something these migrants have to live with.
With the increased use of the program, there are critics. Some immigrant rights advocates argue that because of the check-ins, the migrants’ privacy is lost and private companies are the only ones who are benefiting. Several immigrant rights organizations filed a lawsuit, asking that ICE provide more information on how the data collected by SmartLink is shared, tracked, and used. The organizations claim that because it is unclear what specific information is collected and what it is used for there is an alarm raised about the migrants’ privacy and how the data collected might be used in the future.
On the other hand, Conservatives also criticize the program, they argue that releasing migrants gives the wrong idea of the border. Conservatives are concerned that the new telephone program is giving the migrants the wrong idea that the border is open and therefore, it is also encouraging more migrants to want to cross the border. There are also critics of the program who think that the money currently used for the ATD program is better used somewhere else.
Homeland Security has responded to their criticism by stating that any individual who does not meet U.S. asylum will be placed in removal proceedings. Additionally, Homeland Security has also stated that the appearance rate of migrants has increased. The use of the ATD programs has expanded during the Biden administration and we will have to wait to see how effective it truly becomes.
Sources: CNN, iNewSource