The Tech-Powered Crackdown: Trump's Government Builds a Migrant Tracking System
Trump government creates migrant data system and extensive database
Get ready for a digital wave in immigration policy! Behind the scenes, IT enthusiasts are busy at work on a massive project. Trump's administration aims to track down millions of people using sophisticated pattern recognition technology. And don't worry, it's not just those without US citizenship – even those with a passport could find themselves on the chopping block if they have undocumented family members.
No More Border Crossing in the Shadows
Approximately 14 million people in the US are estimated to be without a valid residence permit. In response, Trump has signed hard-line decrees to target migrants and facilitate mass deportations. Some historically low numbers of migrants crossing into the US from Mexico suggest that fear of poor treatment may be causing border agents to report fewer undocumented crossings at unofficial points of entry. The Trump administration is working tirelessly to make sure migrants can't slip through the cracks.
The Mega-Database of Doom
US IT experts from Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency," alias Doge, are building a colossal database to merge data from various agencies. According to experts, this could give the government unprecedented power to find and monitor migrants. The new database will be used by the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for deportation operations, as US media report. Doge's "Immigration Task Force" claims that the database will combine biometric data, Social Security Administration data, IRS data, Department of Health data, and ICE data, as well as potentially data from the Labor and Housing Departments.
Palantir's Helping Hand
Last month, ICE contracted data company Palantir to create the software to use the database. The software is designed to track migrant movements in near real-time and will be operational by the end of September under the project name "ImmigrationOS," or "Immigration Operating System." The contract with Palantir runs until 2027. Insiders claim that the collaboration is a source of contention within Palantir, with employees reportedly questioning the ethical implications of the software's use.
The Quest for a Million Deportations
Internally, Washington has set a target of at least one million deportations in the first year of Trump's second term. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wants to reach this goal through "self-deportation," encouraging people to leave voluntarily. For this, there's an app in which migrants can indicate that they are leaving the country. The government promises a $1,000 reward and flight ticket coverage.
Warning: You're Being Watched
For months, warning videos have been circulating online and on TV, with Noem threatening: "We will find you and we will deport you." Noem has taken a hardline stance on immigration, flying to El Salvador, where she posed for a photo-op with shaved-headed prisoners at the high-security CECOT prison. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International report that conditions in the prison are inhumane. "This is what happens if you illegally enter the country," Noem said into the camera: "You will be removed and you will be prosecuted."
eyesWideOpen, the software that knows all
The new software, eyesWideOpen, is expected to help ICE in its search for undocumented immigrants. The software is intended to prioritize deportations, focusing on criminal organizations, violent criminals, and foreigners with expired visas. It will also track the movements of migrants who leave voluntarily, known as self-deportations. Finally, the software will compile all data from non-US citizens in an overview, an "immigration lifecycle" that shows the timeline.
ICE employees decide for themselves which migrants to arrest and detain in detention centers. The fate of these individuals will no longer be decided by a judge, as the US government is seeking to suspend habeas corpus, the right to a judicial review of an arrest, for migrants. This could be a game-changer in the immigration debate, as critics argue that this move would infringe on the civil liberties of immigrants.
Risks and Ramifications
Immigration experts have raised concerns over the potential misuse of sensitive data, as various agencies' data will now be combined in one central repository. Victoria Noble, a lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warned: "If you put all the data in a central repository that all employees of this agency, or even other agencies, can access, the risk increases significantly that these information will be accessed by people who don't need it and misuse it for unauthorized purposes or repressive goals." The Trump administration has done away with complaint and ombudsman offices in the Department of Homeland Security that could prevent data misuse, leaving many to question the government's intentions.
Sources:Donald TrumpDeportationSoftware
The Trump administration's technology-driven immigration policy is revolutionizing community and employment policies, aiming to create a comprehensive database to track migrants using pattern recognition technology. This database, under development by US IT experts, will potentially incorporate data from various agencies, including ICE, Social Security Administration, IRS, and Health Department.
In the context of politics and general-news, the new database and software, known as "eyesWideOpen," could grant the government unprecedented power to find, monitor, and prioritize deportations, raising concerns about the misuse of sensitive data and potential infringement of civil liberties.
