Immigrants in Alternative Detention Describe Painful Ankle Monitors, Contradictory Rules
Plus: ICE possibly violated the Constitution with a surveillance program, and CBP investigates apparent smuggling of Haitian migrants
BY FISAYO OKARE
MAR 10, 2022
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The alternative to detention known as the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program launched in 2004, allowing some immigrants to go home rather than remain in immigration jail. But the program is hampered by fundamental flaws, according to participants, lawyers, sponsors, and employees of BI, the private contractor tracking the whereabouts of participants, including through ankle bracelets. Immigrants reported bruising, overheating and shocks from the monitors, and other difficulties when wearing them. The ISAP structure is also reportedly as flawed as the tools it relies inhibit the ultimate goal of the program: transitioning out of it. The Guardian
ICE Possibly Violated Constitution With Surveillance Program
While conducting a surveillance program, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents obtained millions of people’s financial records and fed the information to a database accessed by local and federal law enforcement agencies. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security inspector general requesting an investigation into whether the practice violated the U.S. Constitution. There are concerns about the government surveilling people because they used money transfer methods or platforms popular in low-income and immigrant communities that are less likely to have access to banks. If the program was in fact unconstitutional, it could also jeopardize criminal cases that used its data as evidence. BuzzFeed News
CBP Investigating Apparent Smuggling of Haitian Migrants
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is investigating what appears to be one of the largest human smuggling attempts off U.S. shores in years after a boat packed with 356 Haitian migrants ran aground in the Florida Keys. More than 150 passengers jumped from the boat, attempting to swim to shore. They were rescued and the U.S. Border Patrol detained them. The other 198 remained onboard and were taken into custody by the U.S. Coast Guard. No fatalities were reported, unlike an incident in January when a migrant boat capsized, leaving only one known survivor, one person dead, 38 people missing. In the days that followed, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted 191 Haitian migrants aboard an overloaded sailing vessel that was believed to be headed for Florida. Reuters
Fatal Accident at Georgia Poultry Plant Fuels Call for Immigrant Worker Protections
https://documentedny.com/2022/03/10/immigrants-in-alternative-detention-describe-painful-ankle-monitors-contradictory-rules/
