Petra Molnar, associate director of the Refugee Law Lab at York University, says it depends. A recent report she coauthored suggests the latest tech like reporting apps, biometric check-ins and ankle bracelets are a form of "digital detention."
Countries all over the world, including the U.S., use technology like check-in apps on smartphones and ankle monitors to keep track of immigrants released from detention centers. The idea is to allow people to live in communities while their cases are adjudicated.
But a new report, coauthored by Petra Molnar of the Refugee Law Lab at York University, finds the technology is often employed in ways that are too intrusive and can act like digital shackles. She told Marketplace’s Nova Safo that even smartphone apps, which can be glitchy, are a challenge for immigrants who are often waiting on asylum claims.
“Technology is Turning Immigration Detention into an Invisible Leash” from Tech Policy Press
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