GPS Ankle Monitors

A confidential internal directive obtained by The Washington Post reveals that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to drastically expand its GPS-based surveillance regime. As per the June 9 memo, authored by acting assistant director Dawnisha M. Helland, ICE will now place ankle monitors on nearly all 183,000 migrants enrolled in its Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programme, regardless of prior compliance history.

This marks a significant departure from the current approach, where only 24,000 individuals were monitored through such devices. Under the new policy, ICE field officers are instructed to escalate supervision levels and affix GPS ankle monitors “whenever possible.” Pregnant women, as noted in the memo, are to be issued wrist-worn trackers instead.

BI Inc., Trump Donor And ICE Contractor, To Profit From Widened ATD Mandate

The move has sparked concern among civil rights advocates, immigrant defence groups, and legal observers who note the policy’s impact on compliant, low-risk individuals. One such case is that of Paola, a 29-year-old Honduran mother of two who fled domestic violence and has attended all her ICE check-ins. Last month, after four years of regular reporting, she was suddenly issued a GPS monitor at BI Inc.’s office in Virginia. “Maybe they’ve taken these drastic steps because some people miss court,” she told the Washington Post, adding, “but those of us who follow the rules still suffer.”

Advocates argue that the policy essentially criminalises cooperation, eroding trust and disproportionately impacting asylum seekers with no history of evasion. “It’s designed to turn their own homes into digital cages,” said a legal aid volunteer, speaking to The Post. ICE spokesperson Emily Covington defended the policy as a tool for “accountability,” adding that officers have discretion, but the memo’s language suggests it will be widely implemented with few exemptions.

Geo Group’s BI Inc. To Scale Up: New Tech Vendors Being Considered For Expansion

BI Inc., a subsidiary of the private prison conglomerate Geo Group, stands to benefit significantly from the shift. Originally a cattle-monitoring device firm in the 1970s, BI now manages ICE’s entire ATD surveillance infrastructure. The Geo Group has reportedly donated over $1.5 million to President Trump’s 2024 campaign and inaugural committee. Sources indicate ICE may seek additional tech vendors to keep up with device demands, indicating the breadth of expansion.

This surveillance escalation follows other aggressive measures by the Trump administration since January 2025. These include indefinite detentions for undocumented arrivals and secretive plans to deport migrants to third countries where they hold no legal ties. A recent July 13 memo highlights plans for fast-track deportations with minimal due process, prompting outcry from rights watchdogs.

Trump’s Immigration Strategy Increasingly Hinges On Surveillance, Militarisation

Critics from the National Immigration Litigation Alliance warn that the use of GPS trackers on compliant migrants could violate both federal law and constitutional protections. Paola described the monitor as “uncomfortable and humiliating,” adding that she has been made to feel “like a prisoner” despite her record of full cooperation.

Online platforms like StopICE.net, which has gained over 470,000 subscribers, continue to track ICE activities and disseminate information to at-risk communities. Civil society groups are preparing legal challenges to the expansion, citing privacy intrusion, due process violations, and disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups.