Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Wednesday that it had erroneously posted on its website data identifying 6,252 asylum seekers in ICE custody.
The posted document, which included immigrants’ names, case status and detention locations, stayed up on the website for about five hours, the Los Angeles Times reports. The disclosure could increase the level of threat to the asylum seekers, many of whom fled gangs and government retaliation to seek protection in the U.S.
The information was posted Monday morning while the agency was performing routine updates. Federal regulation dictates that the personal information of asylum seekers be kept confidential.
Immigrant advocacy group Human Rights First first flagged the data breach to ICE, per an official agency.
“Upon notification, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took swift action to immediately rectify the error,” the agency said in a statement.
“Though unintentional, this release of information is a breach of policy and the agency is investigating the incident and taking all necessary corrective actions. ICE is notifying noncitizens impacted by the disclosure.”
The government plans to contact people who downloaded the information to ask them to delete it, the official said.
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