The US government is set to dramatically expand its use of GPS ankle monitors, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement ordering staff to fit the devices on nearly all 183,000 adults in its Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program, according to an internal memo obtained by the Washington Post. At present, only about 24,000 migrants wear ankle monitors; most others check in via smartphone apps or in-person visits while awaiting immigration court decisions. Critics warn the move could turn everyday life for many into a "digital cage"—even for those with spotless records.
The new policy, outlined in a June 9 directive, instructs staff to escalate nearly all ATD enrollees to ankle monitoring "whenever possible," with pregnant women instead receiving wrist devices. Supporters argue electronic monitoring is less costly and restrictive than detention. ICE spokeswoman Emily Covington defended the change as an "enforcement tool" to ensure legal compliance, adding that individual officers still exercise discretion. But critics, including advocacy groups, call the devices degrading and invasive, especially since many of those monitored have no criminal history and consistently appear for court.
The rollout has reportedly caught many by surprise, with reports of field offices now requiring nearly every migrant to accept electronic monitoring or risk detention. "There's a new sheriff in town, and we're not doing things that were being done over the last four years," a source said in May, via the New York Post, which reported "thousands" of ankle monitors were being shipped throughout the US. The expansion promises to benefit private Florida-based contractor Geo Group, which has ties to former Trump officials, and its subsidiary BI Inc., which runs ICE's tracking programs, per the Washington Post. As demand grows, ICE is reportedly searching for additional technology vendors.
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