ICE removes detainees with final deportation orders from locator system

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly stopped disclosing the locations of thousands of detainees who are subject to final deportation orders. According to reports, these individuals were removed from the agency’s online detainee locator system around September 15, making it significantly harder for legal representatives and relatives to track them.

Legal experts and advocacy groups have raised concerns regarding due process and constitutional rights. The American Immigration Lawyers Association warned members about the change, noting that attorneys have found clients have ‘vanished’ from the system. Michelle Mendez of the National Immigration Project described the move as ‘disappearing people,’ while Greg Chen of the American Immigration Lawyers Association noted that families are left uncertain whether their loved ones have already been deported.

ICE stated that detainees with final removal orders are being ‘prioritized for deportation.’ This shift occurs as the agency faces a high number of court injunctions attempting to halt individual removals.