In Pursuit of Mass Deportation: “Big Brother” is Always Watching—And So Is the Trump Administration

 Access online version of this press release HERE

Washington, DC — As part of their mass deportation crusade, the Trump Administration is attempting to make every part of the federal government an arm of its anti-immigrant efforts, including by infringing on the privacy of American citizens implementing mass surveillance “Big Brother” tactics. From IRS tax records to DNA collection to Medicaid databases to even pressuring private landlords to turn over renters’ information, it’s a sweeping effort that should concern all Americans.

According to Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice:

“The Trump administration has become The Big Brother Administration, using immigration as cover for unprecedented surveillance of all Americans. They are demanding unfettered access to our tax information, medical files, and even our rental agreements which have nothing to do with keeping America safe. This is about building a national surveillance program. The mass deportation debacle is ensnaring US citizens every day. The Trump/Miller “Big Brother” vision for our country will be no different. This is a direct threat to every one of us.

See below for key stories of invasion of privacy on display to further the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda:

• ProPublica, “The IRS Is Building a Vast System to Share Millions of Taxpayers’ Data With ICE,” noting: “The Internal Revenue Service is building a computer program that would give deportation officers unprecedented access to confidential tax data. ProPublica has obtained a blueprint of the system, which would create an “on demand” process allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to obtain the home addresses of people it’s seeking to deport.”
• Wired, “DHS Faces New Pressure Over DNA Taken From Immigrant Children”, noting:  “United States Senator Ron Wyden is pressing the United States Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to explain how and why they are collecting DNA from immigrants, including children, on a massive scale. Wyden confronted the agencies with demands this week to explain the scope, legality, and oversight of the government’s DNA collection. In letters to the DOJ and DHS, the Oregon Democrat also criticized what he described as a “chilling expansion” of a sprawling and opaque system, accusing Trump administration officials of withholding even basic facts about its operation.”
• Associated Press, “Immigration agents demand tenant information from landlords, stirring questions and confusion,” noting: “Immigration authorities are demanding that landlords turn over leases, rental applications, forwarding addresses, identification cards and other information on their tenants, a sign that the Trump administration is targeting them to assist in its drive for mass deportations. Eric Teusink, an Atlanta-area real estate attorney, said several clients recently received subpoenas asking for entire files on tenants. A rental application can include work history, marital status, and family relationships.”
• NPR, “The Trump administration is building a national citizenship system,” noting: “The Trump administration has built a searchable national citizenship data system. The tool is designed to be used by state and local election officials to ensure only citizens are voting. But it was developed rapidly without a public process, and some of those officials are already worrying about what else it could be used for.”
• Associated Press, “Trump administration hands over nation’s Medicaid enrollee data to ICE,” noting: “Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will be given access to the personal data of the nation’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees, including home addresses and ethnicities, to track down immigrants who may not be living legally in the United States, according to an agreement obtained by The Associated Press. The information will give ICE officials the ability to find “the location of aliens” across the country, says the agreement signed Monday between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security. The agreement has not been announced publicly.”