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US puts intruders on electric leash: The Times of India
Miami, Oct 01: One hundred illegal immigrants awaiting their day in court have been released from jail in Florida after agreeing to wear electronic monitoring devices in the biggest such experiment in the US.
Miami, Oct 01: One hundred illegal immigrants awaiting their day in court have been released from jail in Florida after agreeing to wear electronic monitoring devices in the biggest such experiment in the US.
The US Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement began a six-month test of an ankle bracelet programme in South Florida in August for possible nationwide use. About 370 immigrants are still behind bars in the area.
The monitoring devices were assigned to ``low-risk, non-violent alien offenders,'' said agency spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez. ``We hope to use these devices to release non-violent aliens into the community while still ensuring their appearance in court as required.''
About 60 people were assigned the devices earlier this year in Detroit and Anchorage, Alaska. South Florida is a huge immigration gateway.
Electronic devices have been routinely used in the US for ordinary criminals. The device looks like a large plastic watch and has a black box that sends a signal to federal officers. Immigrants cannot take the ankle bracelet off, even to sleep or shower.
Yen Chen, 47, a Pakistani immigrant of Chinese descent, was detained for about two months in Florida before he was asked if he wanted to participate in the programme.
``How could I say no to this offer? I mean, I don't really want to wear this for even an hour. But, it's better than being held in custody,'' said Chen, who has been under a deportation order since the mid-1980s after immigration authorities discovered he had overstayed his visa.
Chen can leave his home five hours a day with the device but must stay home on Saturdays. Some immigrant advocates have criticised the programme.
The use of ankle bracelets for asylum-seekers who have committed no crimes and have simply come to the US in search of protection from human rights abuses is a ``misuse of valuable resources and an unnecessary security measure,'' said Cheryl Little of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Centre.
The US Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement began a six-month test of an ankle bracelet programme in South Florida in August for possible nationwide use. About 370 immigrants are still behind bars in the area.
The monitoring devices were assigned to ``low-risk, non-violent alien offenders,'' said agency spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez. ``We hope to use these devices to release non-violent aliens into the community while still ensuring their appearance in court as required.''
About 60 people were assigned the devices earlier this year in Detroit and Anchorage, Alaska. South Florida is a huge immigration gateway.
Electronic devices have been routinely used in the US for ordinary criminals. The device looks like a large plastic watch and has a black box that sends a signal to federal officers. Immigrants cannot take the ankle bracelet off, even to sleep or shower.
Yen Chen, 47, a Pakistani immigrant of Chinese descent, was detained for about two months in Florida before he was asked if he wanted to participate in the programme.
``How could I say no to this offer? I mean, I don't really want to wear this for even an hour. But, it's better than being held in custody,'' said Chen, who has been under a deportation order since the mid-1980s after immigration authorities discovered he had overstayed his visa.
Chen can leave his home five hours a day with the device but must stay home on Saturdays. Some immigrant advocates have criticised the programme.
The use of ankle bracelets for asylum-seekers who have committed no crimes and have simply come to the US in search of protection from human rights abuses is a ``misuse of valuable resources and an unnecessary security measure,'' said Cheryl Little of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Centre.