This week, the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, confirmed that illegal immigrants are receiving free cell phones so that Immigration and Customs Enforcement can monitor them more easily.
During a daily press conference at the White House this week, Psaki looked to be irritated by a question from Fox News’ Peter Doocy.
“Our staff in Texas tells us that you’re giving cellphones to border crossers with the intention of getting them to check-in or be tracked. Which component of that is supposed to deter anyone from illegally immigrating into the United States?” Doocy asked.
“I think you, of all people, would recognize that we need to take action to ensure that we know where individuals are and can monitor them,” said Psaki.
She went on to describe how the phones are used to monitor the immigrants.
“We have three distinct forms of technology that we utilize in the Alternatives to Detention Program,” Psaki continued. “One is telephonic, which uses a participant’s voice to generate a biometric voiceprint during the enrollment procedure. Their voice is compared to the voiceprint when they make a check-in phone call.”
Reporter Bill Melugin of Fox News posted photos on Instagram of one of the phones being distributed to illegal immigrants who had arrived in Texas.
“I’m told that many of them are given these cell phones by the government so they can be tracked and so they can communicate with ICE, but there’s no method to prevent them from being discarded,” tweeted Melugin this week.
Following the Biden administration’s decision to repeal Title 42, a policy that prevents certain people from entering the border, they are being compelled to prepare for what is anticipated to be a large number of illegal immigrants and asylum-seekers.
In response to Biden’s immigration policies, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said state authorities would charter buses full of illegal immigrants and drive them to Washington, D.C., before dropping them off at the Capitol steps in protest.
