The
Dallas Daily News
is reporting that immigrants being held at the Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) detention center in El Paso, Texas, are now being required
to wear tracking devices. The devices, which immigrants wear on their
wrists or ankles, use radio-frequency identification (RFID) in order to
track the movements of those wearing the devices. The El Paso detention
center houses about 900 immigrants on a daily basis. In the past, ICE
has used the monitoring devices to keep track of low-risks immigrants
who are involved in deportation proceedings, but who have been released
on bond or are otherwise not detained. ICE agents use the tracking devices
to ensure that these immigrants keep all appointments and show up to their
hearings in immigration court as scheduled. The Department of Homeland
Security has marketed the usage of these devices as a low-cost alternative
to detention; while it costs about $122 per day to house an immigrant
in a detention center, it costs about $4.50 per day to use alternate methods
to keep tabs on immigrants, such as tracking devices. For federal fiscal
year 2017, ICE has a $6.2 million budget for alternatives to immigrant
detention. ICE Is proposing a $57.4 million increase to this budget in
order to expand the use of tracking devices and other alternatives to
detention. This alternative program currently serves 53,000 immigrants,
and with the budget increase, ICE hopes to expand it to 79,000 immigrants.
Some immigration advocates have questioned the need for amounts to double
security, i.e. tracking the movements of immigrants who are already detained
in secure detention centers. This level of security seems to be highly
disproportionate to the potential safety risks of individuals detained
on immigration violations. Individuals who are detained and/or facing
deportation need an experienced California immigration attorney who can
assist them with this often complex process. At
Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C., we know how to stand up for the rights of those who are legally entitled
to remain in the U.S.
Call us today
at (510) 756-4468 and schedule an appointment with one of our deportation
defense lawyers, and learn how we can assist you.
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