ICE Has Access to DACA Recipients’ Personal Information Despite Promises Suggesting Otherwise, Internal Emails Show

Despite promises by the Trump administration in September 2017 to keep the personal information of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), emails obtained by Dara Lind at ProPublica reveal that the agency already had access to databases of information on Dreamers — including home addresses: 

“The internal emails make clear that an immigrant targeted by ICE could easily be located based on what they told the government when applying for protection. … The Trump administration has said that [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] will generally not proactively share information for enforcement purposes — but it has not said what ICE agents can do with the databases they already have access to.”

This information leads to a bigger question:  If the Supreme Court approves the Trump administration’s rescission of DACA, will ICE engage in mass removals of DACA recipients?

In its COVID-19 response, the Trump administration has disfavored DACA recipients.  The administration is prohibiting undocumented college students — including more than 100,000 DACA recipients — from receiving emergency federal assistances like food, housing, and child care, Michael Stratford reports in Politico. The COVID-19 stimulus package “gives $6 billion to colleges to dole out to students for expenses stemming from the disruption on campuses caused by the pandemic. But Education Department officials in new guidance said the money can go only to students who qualify for federal financial aid — U.S. citizens and some legal permanent residents.” (bold added).

KJ