Surge in Ankle Monitor Use for Migrants Outside Detention, ICE Data Shows

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US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is increasing the use of ankle monitors, an older form of technology for migrants not in detention facilities while their immigration cases are under review, according to an analysis of new data by Border Report.

As of Saturday, the number of migrants on ankle monitors was 29,089 nationwide, according to the latest ICE data published on the agency’s website.

That’s up from 28,070 migrants on ankle monitors as of Aug. 23 in the agency’s Alternatives to Detention program, according to data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).

The ankle monitors use satellite GPS technology, according to ICE.

The number of migrants monitored via the SmartLINK app decreased from 150,784 as of Aug. 23, to 148,717 as of Sept. 6, a comparison of the data found.

For the past few years, the number of migrants given devices with the SmartLINK app to monitor their whereabouts had been increasing.

The app allows migrants to send photos of themselves and check in with ICE officials and to access calendars with their upcoming court date information. It is not a cellphone, however, and does not allow them to make calls or scroll the Internet. The wristworn devices use satellite GPS but also have software enabling facial matching, direct messaging, and push notifications, ICE says.

The total number of migrants placed in the Alternatives to Detention program was 181,401 as of Sept. 6, ICE reports.

“ICE’s Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program exists to ensure compliance with release conditions and provides important case management services,” the agency says on its website. The “program uses case management and technology tools to support aliens’ compliance with release conditions while on ICE’s non-detained docket.”

The daily tech monitoring costs for the various programs was $234,153.82 as of Sept. 6, according to ICE.