ICE determines who to deport primarily based on immigration status violations, including unauthorized entry, visa overstays, or involvement in criminal activities. The agency uses a combination of extensive data access, surveillance, collaboration with local law enforcement, and biometric tools to identify and locate individuals subject to deportation.
Key methods ICE uses to know who to deport include:
- Access to databases: ICE taps into federal, state, and local databases including DMV records, criminal justice records, and gang databases. These provide information on individuals’ immigration status and possible legal violations.
- Collaboration with local law enforcement: Local police and correctional facilities may notify ICE if a detained individual is deemed a "potentially dangerous alien," allowing ICE to take custody upon release.
- Field surveillance and interrogation: ICE agents conduct physical surveillance of people under investigation, questioning family, friends, neighbors, or employers to gather information.
- Biometric data collection: Mobile devices are used in the field to capture fingerprints and photos, often cross-checked with facial recognition databases owned by police agencies.
- Tactical ruses: ICE agents sometimes impersonate local police or use deceptive tactics ("ruses") to gain information or entry without warrants, enabling identification and arrest of targeted individuals.
Furthermore, ICE encourages people unlawfully present in the U.S. to self- deport to avoid detention and the complications of forced removal.
Overall, ICE's process combines legal authority, data-driven technology, inter-agency cooperation, and tactical field techniques to identify individuals for deportation based on immigration violations and public safety concerns.
