ICE Plans to Track Thousands of Migrants Using GPS Ankle Devices

ICE Plans to Track Thousands of Migrants Using GPS Ankle Devices
Credit: G. Edward Johnson

A federal plan to increase the use of GPS monitoring devices on migrants has prompted concern from legal advocates and immigration watchdogs. The initiative, led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calls for the expanded use of ankle monitors on tens of thousands of individuals currently enrolled in the agency’s Alternatives to Detention program.

A Rapid Expansion of Electronic Surveillance

According to internal documents reviewed by The Washington Post, ICE issued a directive on June 9 that instructs officers to place GPS ankle monitors on foreign nationals not currently under physical arrest. The memo, signed by Dawnisha M. Helland, interim deputy assistant director for non-detained management, outlines plans to increase the use of electronic bracelets to monitor compliance with immigration court proceedings.

Of the approximately 183,000 adults currently enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention initiative, around 24,000 already wear ankle monitors. Under this new guidance, that number is expected to increase sevenfold. The program was originally designed to reduce the number of people held in physical custody while ensuring they appear at scheduled immigration hearings. Enrollment in the program requires that participants consent to some form of monitoring.

The expansion affects migrants who are actively participating in the legal process and have complied with all instructions. Pregnant women would be exempt from ankle monitors but could be assigned wrist-based tracking devices instead. The technology is intended to reinforce compliance measures as immigration cases proceed through the court system.

Many Concerns Arise About the Ankle Monitors

The surge in electronic monitoring has sparked criticism from civil rights attorneys and immigrant advocates. Critics argue that the devices inflict physical discomfort and social stigma, particularly in communities where immigrants already navigate heightened scrutiny and discrimination.

According to immigration officials, the expansion is framed as a necessary step in the enforcement of federal law. ICE maintains that ankle monitors are used as a mechanism to ensure individuals appear in court and meet the conditions of their release.

Impact on Latino Communities

Latino immigrants comprise a significant portion of those affected by this new directive. For many, the introduction of ankle monitors represents more than an inconvenience. It becomes another layer of visible surveillance that fuels profiling, disrupts family life, and reinforces a sense of criminalization even for those who have no record of wrongdoing.

Communities across the United States with high Latino immigrant populations may feel the consequences through increased tension with local law enforcement, growing mistrust of institutions, and the added emotional burden of living under constant observation. Children and spouses often bear the weight of these policies indirectly, adjusting to a new reality in which home becomes a monitored space and parents wear devices that carry legal and psychological implications.

The Broader Context of Migration Control and What ICE Is Doing

The decision to ramp up surveillance comes at a time when the U.S. government is seeking to accelerate deportation proceedings and increase enforcement efforts. Officials have stated that the goal is to remove up to one million people annually. As part of this broader effort, GPS tracking allows the agency to maintain oversight without committing resources to physical detention in already overcrowded facilities.

The Alternative to Detention program includes a range of supervision methods, such as scheduled check-ins, community-based supervision, and now, expanded electronic monitoring. Although billed as a humane option, many have begun to question whether the burden placed on individuals through technology mirrors the same punitive restrictions of confinement.

For those under surveillance, the promise of due process arrives with conditions and leave little room for privacy or peace.

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