US Arrests Record Number Of Immigrants In Single Day: How ICE Uses SMS Ploy To Detain 2,200 People

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Amid pressure from the White House, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday arrested more than 2,200 people, the maximum arrests in a single day in its history, reported NBC News.

Some of the undocumented immigrants were told in a mass text message ICE had sent them to show up ahead of their schedule for check-ins at ICE offices, only to be arrested when they arrived, the report said, citing immigration attorneys.

Hundreds of the people who were arrested had been enrolled in ICE's Alternative to Detention (ATD) programme, as per the report.

Under the ATD programme, the undocumented immigrants are released if they are deemed not threat to public safety. But the ICE keeps a track of them through ankle monitors, smartphone apps or other geolocating programmes, along with periodic check-ins at ICE facilities.

Court orders removal of undocumented immigrants

On the issue of arresting immigrants with ankle monitors, the ICE spokesperson said:“Those arrested had executable final orders of removal by an immigration judge and had not complied with that order.”

In May, Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, had threatened to sack senior ICE officials if the agency does not start making 3,000 arrests per day, said the media report.

According to ICE data, over 20,000 ankle monitors were in use by ICE as of late May.

As many as 98.5 per cent of people on ATD appear for their check-ins, making them easy targets as ICE moves to increase its arrest numbers, according to the data.

The ICE has boosted its manpower by drawing on over 5,000 employees from other federal law enforcement agencies to increase arrests as part of a new nationwide crackdown, reported NBC News.

It is to be noted that every arrest does not lead to a deportation, particularly when immigrants have pending asylum claims or appeals.

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