Tracing Migrants: Trump's Government's ImmigrationOS and Massive Database
Trump authorities develop migrant data software and expansive database
In the United States, immigration policies have taken a new, aggressive turn. IT whizzes, working within Elon Musk's so-called "Department of Government Efficiency," known as Doge, are diligently constructing a mammoth database. The purpose: to consolidate data from various agencies, potentially enabling the government to locate and monitor migrants. This move could affect millions of people, whether they're foreign nationals or American citizens with undocumented relatives.
Fear of Trump's Mass Deportation Plans
More than 14 million people in the US might lack a valid residence permit. Trump's sweeping executive orders have targeted migrants, banking on mass deportations. Fear of mistreatment has led border agents to report historically low numbers of migrants crossing into the US from Mexico, primarily outside official points of entry. The Trump administration aims to monitor migrant movements as closely as possible, with technical capabilities more advanced than ever.
The ImmigrationOS Mega-Database
The new mega-database will be used by the Department of Homeland Security and the immigration agency ICE for facilitating deportations. American media have reported that it combines biometric data, Social Security Administration data, Internal Revenue Service data, and Department of Health data with ICE's own. Additional data from labor and housing departments could also be integrated.
In late September, data company Palantir was commissioned to code the software that would utilize the database. Its purpose: to track migrant movements in real-time. A representative of the American Civil Liberties Union warned in Wired magazine: "This is a massive dragnet that could have all sorts of consequences, not only for people without papers, but also for US citizens and those with legal residency."
Seeking Out Seven Million People with Tax Data
Historically, the IRS has kept its data separate from other agencies. However, the Department of Homeland Security now has access to this data, with a court rejecting NGOs' appeals against this partnership. Up to seven million non-US citizens could be identified using tax data.
Self-Deportation: The Government's Incentive Plan
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is attempting to reach the internal target of at least one million deportations in Trump's first year. Her plan? Encourage migrants to leave voluntarily, or as the government calls it, "self-deportation." An app is in development, where migrants can indicate their intention to leave the country. The government offers a $1,000 reward, as well as the cost of the flight ticket, as incentive.
weeks of Warnings Videos
For months, warning videos have circulated online and on TV, with Noem warning: "We will find you and we will deport you." Noem also posed for a photo-op in El Salvador, flaunting a golden $50,000 Rolex in front of shaved-headed prisoners at the high-security CECOT prison. Conditions in the prison are inhumane, according to representatives of Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International: "This is what happens if you enter the country illegally."
ImmigrationOS Software to Track Migrants
The "ImmigrationOS" software, developed by Palantir, is poised to assist in tracking migrants. By the end of September, a prototype is expected, under Project "Immigration Operating System." The contract with Silicon Valley tech firm Palantir extends until 2027. The collaboration has reportedly stirred controversy internally. Palantir justifies its role by stating that the software will enable "fair treatment" for migrants. However, the Trump administration's concern for "fair treatment" has not been evident to date, with incidents, such as deporting hundreds of people to El Salvador prison without judicial hearings, causing alarm.
Expanded In-House Software
Peter Thiel-founded Palantir aims to expand its in-house software, which ICE is already using. The software permits the swift execution of Trump's immigration orders, aiming to stop the perceived "invasion" of the United States by migrants and "protect the American people." According to ICE, Trump's promise of deporting large numbers is contingent upon this supporting software. The software features three core functions:
- Prioritizing deportations, focusing on criminal organizations, violent criminals, and foreigners with expired visas
- Monitoring the movements of migrants who leave the country voluntarily, known as "self-deportations"
- Compiling an "immigration lifecycle" - a timeline of all data from non-US citizens to provide a comprehensive overview of their immigration history
ICE employees are given the autonomy to decide which migrants to arrest and detain in detention centers. However, the US government is currently challenging this procedure and reportedly considering suspending the right to judicial review for migrants, referred to as habeas corpus.
- The ImmigrationOS mega-database, incorporating data from various agencies such as labor and housing departments, will be used by the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for facilitating deportations and tracking migrant movements in real-time, potentially affecting millions of people.
- The Trump administration's technology-driven policies, including the implementation of the Immigration Operating System software developed by Palantir, aim to monitor migrants closely, with advanced technical capabilities, raising concerns from civil liberty organizations about the potential implications for undocumented individuals and US citizens with legal residency.
