• Investing
  • Stock
Round Table Thoughts
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Home Economy DHS refuses to release data on illegal immigrants’ cartel ties, citing privacy concerns
Economy

DHS refuses to release data on illegal immigrants’ cartel ties, citing privacy concerns

by September 20, 2023
by September 20, 2023 0 comment
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

The Biden administration is pushing back against a demand by a conservative legal group that it reveals information about the illegal immigrants being considered for arrest and deportation, including their terror, cartel and gang affiliations — arguing that, among other concerns, it could violate their privacy rights.

America First Legal in 2021 filed a Freedom of Information Act request for weekly reports of proposed enforcement actions submitted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to headquarters before they could arrest or deport those illegal immigrants. 

This approval process took effect with the implementation of new guidance from DHS which narrowed ICE priorities to focusing on recent border crossers, public safety threats and national security threats. Information in those weekly reports includes names, addresses, visa information, and any gang, cartel or terror affiliations.

In its document production to AFL, DHS significantly redacted much of the personal identifying information. AFL has challenged this in a U.S. District Court, and DHS is in turn seeking to have that denied.

‘ICE compiled the Spreadsheet Report for law enforcement purposes, and disclosure of noncitizens’ names, court case numbers, A-numbers and other identifying numbers, dates of birth, residential addresses, gang, cartel, and terrorist group affiliations, and monikers would seriously invade personal privacy without serving the public interest in understanding ICE’s operations,’ the agency argued in an August court filing.

‘ICE properly withheld gang, cartel, and terrorist group affiliations of noncitizens under Exemption 7(C), because disclosure would invade noncitizens’ personal privacy without any countervailing public interest,’ it said addressing the affiliations specifically.

Separately, it argued that the disclosures overall would ‘disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations and would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations that could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law.’

But in a court filing on Friday, AFL pushed back against those arguments, saying ICE had not identified any such law enforcement technique that would be implicated, and arguing that the records were created for political, not law enforcement, purposes. It also argued that the public’s right to know about the potential gang ties of those in the approval process outweighed any privacy rights of the immigrants involved.

‘The Court should reject the notion that cartel and gang members have any privacy interest in hiding their identity under FOIA, and thus no balancing is required. But even if the Court proceeds to balancing, the Plaintiff should prevail because the interests of a cartel member to be free from harassment cannot outweigh the American public’s right to know about matters of public safety,’ the filing says.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, AFL Vice President and General Counsel Gene Hamilton said that the American people ‘have every right to know the criminal history or gang affiliations of illegal aliens in the United States.’ 

‘The simple fact is that every single crime they commit is a crime that wouldn’t have happened if our immigration laws were enforced, and the privacy interests of a cartel member or a gang member can never outweigh the need of the American people to know what is happening in their own country,’ he said.

The administration has faced significant legal challenges over its ICE enforcement, with the Supreme Court ultimately deciding in the administration’s favor this year over a major case challenging the guidelines after states challenged it on the basis that it had led to a sharp drop in deportations. DHS said it does not comment on pending litigation.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said when the case was decided that the guidelines have been ‘effectively applied by [ICE] officers to focus limited resources and enforcement actions on those who pose a threat to our national security, public safety, and border security.’ 

‘The Guidelines enable DHS to most effectively accomplish its law enforcement mission with the authorities and resources provided by Congress,’ he said.

The lawsuit by AFL marks the latest battle that conservative groups and Republicans in Congress and at the state level have launched in order to receive more information from the administration about issues such as the ongoing crisis at the southern border and the enforcement policies of the administration. Fox News Digital reported on Tuesday that 25 governors have urged President Biden to provide more data and information on migrant releases into the interior, as well as numbers on deportations and asylum claims. DHS officials have previously rejected accusations of a lack of transparency, pointing to responses to over 1,400 letters and dozens of witnesses across multiple congressional hearings, including over 8,000 pages of documents. 

But Matt O’Brien, director of investigations at the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), told Fox News Digital that his organization has been facing similar issues that AFL has faced in getting information, and said it coincided with the administration’s policies becoming more known to the public.

‘They have been increasingly resistant to releasing any kind of information. We’ve asked them for policy documents, which should be a matter of public record in a lot of instances, and they’ve never been published the way they should have, and they won’t release them on FOIA requests. So this has been an ongoing problem, and it’s really not the way the government of the United States is supposed to work.’

Former ICE Director Thomas Homan, who served under multiple administrations and is now a senior fellow at IRLI, told Fox News Digital that he believes that data is being withheld for political reasons.,

‘I truly believe as a guy who used to be the director of ICE, the guy who has been with ICE most of my career, that this administration has personally been nontransparent because of data that’s going to embarrass this administration,’ he said. ‘It’s going to show that they’re not enforcing the law the way they should be enforcing the law. And the number of arrests of criminal aliens is way below prior years. So this is their way of using a privacy declaration as a way to hide their failure.’

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
You Might Also Like
  • Biden has been secretly meeting with donors to ease concerns, including his age and energy: report
  • Senate confirms Gen. Eric Smith as Commandant of Marine Corps, 96-0
  • Hamas waives ‘totally off base’ demand for monthslong cease-fire in Israeli hostage negotiation: Report
  • Transportation chair to hold briefing on Ohio train disaster to uncover ‘facts’ as safety concerns remain
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

previous post
When to BUY, When to SELL, and When to SIT On Your Hands
next post
Dem rep scrubs post supporting Susanna Gibson after online sex act scandal: ‘VA Dem Cleanup’

You may also like

Biden climate czar John Kerry likens D-Day invasion to battling...

June 8, 2023

RFK Jr’s running mate says Democrats are ‘terrified’ their campaign...

August 22, 2024

GOP senators call on Biden to freeze $6 billion in...

October 10, 2023

Hunter Biden was paid $100K through joint-venture with Chinese energy...

February 9, 2024

RNC to launch campaign pushing Republicans to vote early in...

June 7, 2023

Obama cheers Biden judicial milestone as former adviser warns of...

May 23, 2024

Time’s running out for these GOP presidential candidates scrambling to...

September 24, 2023

Trump defends Johnson as Marjorie Taylor Greene pushes to oust...

April 24, 2024

Protesters storm Kevin McCarthy’s office over HIV bill, get dragged...

September 12, 2023

Israel’s success, Iran’s failure and the chances of igniting the...

April 16, 2024

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Krispy Kreme stock plunges after doughnut chain pauses McDonald’s rollout, pulls outlook

      May 8, 2025
    • Don’t Buy Robinhood Stock… Until You See This Chart Setup

      May 8, 2025
    • UnitedHealthcare sued by shareholders over reaction to CEO’s killing

      May 8, 2025
    • The Unpredictable Stock Market: How to Make Sense of It

      May 8, 2025
    • AMD CEO calls China a ‘large opportunity’ and warns against strict U.S. chip controls

      May 7, 2025

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be...

      June 27, 2024 2,630 views
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as...

      August 9, 2024 2,339 views
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese...

      June 25, 2024 2,320 views
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful...

      July 10, 2024 2,302 views
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility...

      August 29, 2024 2,186 views

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,066)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,530)

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be revived under new House GOP bill

      June 27, 2024
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as Harris camp blasts ‘lying’ critics

      August 9, 2024
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese businesses to Delaware: ‘Longtime friends’

      June 25, 2024
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful of Chinese spy threats

      July 10, 2024
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility that collaborated with ‘Chinese military company’

      August 29, 2024

    Latest News

    • Krispy Kreme stock plunges after doughnut chain pauses McDonald’s rollout,...

      May 8, 2025
    • Don’t Buy Robinhood Stock… Until You See This Chart Setup

      May 8, 2025
    • UnitedHealthcare sued by shareholders over reaction to CEO’s killing

      May 8, 2025

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,066)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,530)

    Disclaimer: RoundTableThoughts.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 RoundTableThoughts.com. All Rights Reserved.

    Round Table Thoughts
    • Investing
    • Stock
    Round Table Thoughts
    • Economy
    • Editor’s Pick

    Read alsox

    President Biden appears to freeze at...

    June 11, 2024

    Who is White House physician Dr....

    July 10, 2024

    ‘Energetic’ Trump an ‘inspiration’ after assassination...

    July 16, 2024
    Sign In

    Keep me signed in until I sign out

    Forgot your password?

    Password Recovery

    A new password will be emailed to you.

    Have received a new password? Login here