The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has a record 5.7 million non-detained migrants under its surveillance.
This figure marks a significant increase from the 3.26 million in the fiscal year 2020 and has surged to 4.7 million by 2022.
As part of ICE’s “Release and Reporting Management” (RRM) program, it has been revealed that the Biden administration is considering extending various support services to these migrants.
Such provisions could encompass medical care, food, and potentially even housing, according to a report from The New York Post.
Tom Homan, the former ICE director, voiced his concerns regarding the potential cost of the program, stating that it could run into “billions” and effectively serve as a “welfare” initiative for non-detained migrants awaiting their court proceedings.
“The RRM is just a push by the open border advocates to provide welfare benefits to 6 million people,” Homan commented.
Documentation from ICE specifies that the RRM initiative could eventually “replace all of ICE’s non-detained programs,” with the current non-detained docket standing at 5.7 million.
It should be noted that this number does not factor in those who are in ICE detention awaiting deportation or other processes.
Further details from an RFI (Request for Information) form dated Aug 17, outline the proposed services for the RRM participants.
The services would range from “legal assistance; psychosocial services; therapeutic services; medical services; food and clothing banks; housing; public transportation information; parental information; education information; and repatriation and reintegration services.”
The form elaborates, “These services are designed to increase participant compliance with immigration obligations through information, stabilization, and support. Services will be individualized to each participant’s needs and may range from basic referrals to intensive direct assistance.”
However, the provision of legal assistance to migrants has drawn criticism.
Homan stated, “They’re going to give legal assistance to illegal aliens at the taxpayers’ expense to fight the government,” deeming the cumulative services as a “massive giveaway that are going to cost billions of dollars.”
The monitoring process varies for migrants, with some requiring regular check-ins at local ICE offices, while others are tracked through ankle monitors or facial recognition apps.
Data from 2021 indicates that on average, each case manager was responsible for monitoring 125 migrants.
In a move to involve private vendors in the RRM program, ICE released an RFI in August, with intentions to issue a “Request for Proposal” by 2024.
The Biden administration’s initiative, RRM, is poised to supersede the “Alternatives to Detention (ATD)” program initiated in 2004.
This transition is expected to necessitate additional funding beyond the current budget for ATD.
As of fiscal year 2023, only an estimated 194,632 migrants were being monitored via GPS or other technological methods under the ATD program.
With the U.S. experiencing an unprecedented number of migrant encounters during President Biden’s term—2.76 million in 2022 alone as per U.S. Customs and Border Protection data—there have been challenges in tracking.
A report from the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged the loss of track of 177,000 migrants post their U.S. release.
