Rep. Crockett Introduces TRACK ICE Act to Demand Transparency on Immigration Enforcement Flights
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) introduced the “Transparency Requirements for Aircraft Carriers to Know Immigration Conduct and Enforcement Act,” or the TRACK ICE Act.
Reports show that ICE has been abusing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) privacy programs, such as FAA’s Limiting Aircraft Data Displayed (LADD) Program, to avoid disclosing their flight operations. This leaves families in the dark of their loved ones’ whereabouts and loosens accountability for safe and lawful deportation practices.
This legislation ensures that any entity under contract with DHS, ICE, or CBP to transport, detain, or deport individuals can no longer hide behind privacy loopholes.
“For far too long, the federal government has operated immigration flights without full transparency. These ghost flights are tearing families apart, leaving loved ones in the dark, and giving immigration agencies free rein to act without oversight, transparency, and justice. It is Congress’s job to ensure they aren't operating above the law,” said Congresswoman Crockett.
The TRACK ICE Act:
Requires comprehensive data to be released within 72 hours of any immigration enforcement flights.
Prohibits aircraft operators from hiding their tracking data while on federal missions.
Require disclosure of the condition and restraints used on detained individuals.
Robyn Barnard, senior director in the Refugee and Immigrant Rights team at Human Rights First, said "In this first year of the Trump administration, we have witnessed a detention and deportation machine operating at a scale we have never seen before and enabled by the opaque ICE enforcement flight network. Our ICE Flight Monitor project has tracked thousands of these flights transferring people far from their loved ones and counsel, even to countries that are not their own, and at times in violation of court orders. This government refuses to be transparent in its use of taxpayer dollars or its treatment of human beings. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Congresswoman Crockett in introducing the TRACK ICE Act to shine a light on a system that is not only cruel, but increasingly lawless, and to ensure there is accountability for the injustices it has caused."
The TRACK ICE Act is endorsed by Human Rights First, Detention Watch Network, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Vera Institute of Justice, National Immigration Law Center (NILC), Advocates for Human Rights, African Communities Together, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Witness at the Border, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, African Human Rights Coalition, Oasis Legal Services, Refugee Council USA, Climate Refugees, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), and Church World Service.
Click HERE to read the full text of the bill.
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