President-elect Donald Trump's transition team explores innovative approaches to monitor immigrants awaiting legal proceedings.
According to Fox News, the incoming administration is considering a significant expansion of GPS monitoring through ankle-worn devices for undocumented immigrants who are not currently in federal immigration detention.
The proposed expansion aims to address the challenges posed by limited Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention capacity, which currently houses only tens of thousands compared to the millions of immigrants not in detention. The transition team's strategy involves implementing enhanced monitoring systems while simultaneously working toward their primary goals of detention, deportation, and border entry prevention.
The Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program currently oversees 187,747 individuals through various monitoring methods, including approximately 25,000 wearing ankle or wrist devices. The program also utilizes cell phone applications requiring regular check-ins with ICE authorities. These monitoring methods typically begin upon border release and continue through the early stages of legal proceedings.
The cost-effectiveness of the ATD program has been a significant factor in its implementation. Daily monitoring expenses amount to $8 per person, compared to $150 for detention. Program advocates and ICE officials have reported high compliance rates among enrolled participants.
The GEO Group, which holds exclusive contracts for monitoring technology, recently announced a $70 million investment to enhance its capabilities in providing detention capacity, secure transport, and electronic monitoring services to ICE.
Republican lawmakers have consistently pushed for expanded GPS monitoring of non-detained immigrants. Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Troy Nehls introduced the Justice for Jocelyn Act this year, proposing comprehensive changes to the monitoring system.
The proposed legislation would mandate continuous GPS monitoring for all undocumented immigrants on the non-detained docket. It includes strict requirements such as enforced home presence between 10 p.m. and 5 p.m., with automatic removal orders for non-compliance.
Immigration activists have expressed concerns about the ATD program, characterizing the monitoring systems as "digital prisons." Conversely, conservative advocates argue for extended technology use to facilitate the removal of individuals who receive final deportation orders.
The transition team's expansion plans include increasing the duration of GPS tracking availability and reducing the overall number of unmonitored individuals. This strategy depends heavily on successfully reducing southern border entries, which would allow for reallocating monitoring devices to interior cases.
The administration is also considering implementing additional penalties for non-compliance with monitoring requirements. However, specific details about these potential consequences remain under discussion. Sources familiar with the planning indicate that the expanded monitoring program would complement the broader mass deportation operation promised by President-elect Trump once he takes office.
The Trump transition team's proposed expansion of GPS monitoring represents a significant shift in immigration enforcement strategy. The plan aims to address the challenges of monitoring millions of undocumented immigrants while working within current infrastructure limitations.
The implementation of this expanded monitoring system, combined with increased detention capacity and stricter border control measures, reflects the incoming administration's comprehensive approach to immigration enforcement. The success of this initiative will largely depend on the administration's ability to balance technological capabilities, legal requirements, and operational resources.
