Trump administration constructs immigrant data system and large database
Headline: Trump's Crackdown: Building a High-Tech Database to Enhance Deportations
The US government is ramping up its efforts on immigration policy. Behind the scenes, a team of tech experts, working for Elon Musk's supposed Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), are developing a mammoth database to merge data from various agencies. This colossal database is expected to aid the government in locating and monitoring migrants. Potentially affected are individuals lacking US citizenship and those with a passport who have relatives without one.
In the Crosshairs of Trump's Agenda
Approximately 14 million people in the US are estimated to be without a valid residence permit. Trump has signed broad decrees to target migrants and expedite mass deportations. The authorities' heavy-handed approach may have deterred migrants, leading to historically few apprehensions of migrants crossing from Mexico outside official checkpoints. The Trump administration is working tirelessly to monitor migrants' every move.
Keeping Tabs on Everyone
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will reportedly utilize the new mega-database to streamline deportations, as per US media sources. The database comprises biometric data, Social Security Administration, IRS, and Department of Health information, coupled with ICE data. Additionally, data from the Departments of Labor and Housing could be incorporated.
Last month, ICE contracted data company Palantir to create software to utilize the database. This software is intended to help track migrant movements in real-time. An American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) representative told magazine "Wired": "It's a net that will have serious consequences not only for people without papers, but also for US citizens and those here legally."
A Seven Million Strong Net
Tax data can paint a vivid picture of half a life. Undocumented workers in the US receive an identification number from the IRS and pay taxes via it. Until now, the IRS had refused to share its data with other agencies. However, the Department of Homeland Security has been granted access, a court ruling dismissing appeals from NGOs. Up to seven million non-US citizens may be tracked down using tax data.
Internally, Washington has set a target of at least one million deportations in Trump's first term. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is striving to meet this target via another strategy: "self-deportation". An app has been designed where migrants can indicate they are leaving the country, with the government offering a $1,000 reward and flight ticket coverage.
Sirens of Deportation
For months, warning videos have been doing the rounds online and on television, featuring Noem threatening, "We will find you and we will deport you." Noem also visited El Salvador, where she posed for a photo with shaved-headed prisoners at CECOT prison. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have reported deplorable conditions in the prison. "This is the fate awaiting those who illegally enter the country," Noem stated.
ImmigrationOS: Streamlining Deportations
Palantir's software, set to aid in the manhunt, is nearing completion under the project name "ImmigrationOS" or "Immigration Operating System". The agreement with Palantir lasts until 2027. Internal communications reveal Palantir justifies its actions by claiming the software will ensure "fair treatment" for migrants. However, Trump's administration has shown little concern with this aspect. So far, hundreds of people have been transported to El Salvador without a judicial hearing.
The software Palantir is developing will have three primary functions:
- Prioritize deportations, with a focus on criminal organizations, violent criminals, and foreigners with expired visas.
- Track the movements of migrants leaving voluntarily, known as "self-deportations".
- Provide an "immigration lifecycle" overview that chronicles the individual's timeline.
ICE employees decide which migrants to apprehend and detain. Typically, a judge has the final say over their fate. However, the US government is currently questioning this process. Homeland Security Secretary Noem suggested that habeas corpus, the right to a judicial review of an arrest, might be suspended for migrants. Trump's deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, has hinted at exploring this possibility.
Privacy Concerns and Broader Implications
The amalgamation of data from different agencies could heighten the risk of misuse. Victoria Noble, a lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warned US magazine "Wired": "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 them and misuse them for unauthorized purposes or repressive goals."
The complaint and ombudsman offices within the Department of Homeland Security, which could prevent data misuse, have been abolished by Trump's administration. "They hindered the enforcement of immigration laws," said department spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. "They often acted as internal opponents."
Sources: ntv.de
- Donald Trump
- Deportation
- Privacy
- The new high-tech database, developed by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, is set to collect data from multiple agencies, including those responsible for data-and-cloud-computing, general-news, employment policy, and community policy, and will potentially aid the Trump administration in streamlining deportations and monitoring migrants.
- As part of the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, the proposed Immigration Operating System (ImmigrationOS) is designed to archive biometric data, Social Security Administration, IRS, Department of Health, Departments of Labor and Housing information, and ICE data. This system, being developed by Palantir, could lead to significant privacy concerns regarding the misuse of consolidated data and the potential suspension of habeas corpus for migrants.
