Trump immigration database exposes crime victims' personal info, lawyers say

[millefleur 5,046]

 

Quote

 

Database tracking status of migrants who committed crimes also includes those who are crime victims, putting them at risk of further violence and violating laws

 

A new US immigration database has exposed the personal information of crime victims, putting them at risk of further violence and violating federal laws designed to conceal the identities of abuse survivors, according to a coalition of attorneys.

 

The online database – recently unveiled as part of Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda and accessible to the general public – includes immigrant victims who have sought federal protections as survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault, activists said. 

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a new system called the Victim Information Notification Exchange (Vine) that officials claim allows victims of crimes committed by immigrants to track the status of their perpetrators. But civil rights campaigners and attorneys have discovered that the database also includes immigrants who are crime victims themselves and are supposed to be shielded from public disclosures for safety reasons. 

 

That means immigrants who have applied for relief under the Violence Against Women Act and other similar programs have had their private information exposed because they are undocumented. Attorneys fear that the database will allow abusers and traffickers to track the locations of their victims, interfere with their cases and inflict further violence.

 

Just saw this on The Gaurdian.

 

I thought it might be good to know for some VJ'ers out there.

[Villanelle 4,122]

Thank you for posting this. I am going to link it to the VAWA forum.

[millefleur 5,046]

1 minute ago, Damara said:

Thank you for posting this. I am going to link it to the VAWA forum.

Great idea. I hadn't thought about that. Spread the news wherever it might be helpful.