Amnesty denounces the use of AI to monitor and deport migrants

Photo of Paul-Alain Hunt in Unsplash

Amnesty International has warned that the Trump administration is using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to track and monitor migrants—especially refugees and asylum seekers—as well as people demonstrating in support of the Palestinian people in the United States. The report notes that these practices pose a serious risk of deportation and human rights violations.

Technology at the service of surveillance

The NGO identifies two key tools in this automated control system:

Babel X, from Babel Street, used by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) since at least 2019, with the ability to analyze online behavior and large-scale human movements.

Immigration OS, from Palantir, deployed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as an evolution of an integrated case management system active since 2014. It facilitates the selection, detention, and automation of immigration processes in real time.

“Capture and Repeal”: A Threatening Initiative

These technologies would support the State Department's "Catch and Revoke" initiative, which monitors social media to identify individuals from foreign countries who appear to support Hamas or other organizations considered terrorists, with the goal of canceling their visas.

Erika Guevara-Rosas, Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at Amnesty International, warned that this coercive strategy could intensify arbitrary and illegal visa revocations, mass deportations, and multiple human rights violations.

Alarming impacts

The use of these tools has generated a worrying pattern: illegal detentions, mass deportations, the creation of a climate of fear, and a chilling effect among migrant communities and international students.

Amnesty International criticizes the lack of accountability and the violation of due process. It notes that these actions constitute a total disregard for human rights, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the principle of non-discrimination against people with visas or refugee status.

Company reactions

Amnesty International communicated its concerns to both Palantir and Babel Street in July. Only Palantir responded, stating that its software is not used for the "Capture and Revoke" initiative and does not violate immigration rights. However, the NGO notes that both companies could have foreseen the potential harm of linking their technologies to this government policy.

For more stories like this, follow More Latin.

Sources:

• EFE