ICE releases thousands of migrants affected by accidental data leak

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials released around 3,000 migrants whose personal information was accidentally posted on a government website, U.S. officials said. 

Last November, ICE officials accidentally uploaded the personal information of 6,525 migrants who were fleeing persecution in their home countries and seeking asylum in the United States. The information published includes names, birthdates, nationalities, and detention locations.

ICE mistakenly published the data during a routine update of its website on November 28. Human Rights First noticed the information online and notified ICE officials about the mistake. The agency quickly deleted the data. 

“Though unintentional, this release of information is a breach of policy and the agency is investigating the incident and taking all corrective actions necessary,” an ICE spokesperson said in a statement.

So far, at least 2,900 migrants whose information was leaked have been released from ICE custody. An additional 2,200 are still in custody while their cases are being processed.

ICE announced that none of the migrants affected by the leak will be deported until they have the opportunity to raise the issue in immigration court. However, the agency added that more than 100 migrants whose information was published had already been deported by the time the data leak was discovered. 

Additionally, less than ten individuals were deported shortly after the data leak was found but before the migrants affected were notified. ICE said it is willing to work with those migrants if they wish to return to the U.S. to seek asylum. 

Federal law prohibits the release of personal information of people seeking asylum without the approval of top Homeland Security Officials to prevent gangs, governments, or individuals in the asylum-seeker’s country to retaliate against their actions. 

“Although inadvertent, ICE put lives at risk through this data breach. The commitments ICE has made to those impacted will go a significant way toward mitigating the harm done, but only if ICE is diligent and transparent in making good on its promises,” said Heidi Altman, director of policy at the National Immigrant Justice Center, an immigrant advocacy organization.