Brinkwire: New York ICE officials accused of rigging algorithms to detain immigrants in detention centers

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began using an algorithm in 2013 that recommends or denies the release of those arrested for immigration violations –and a new lawsuit claims the technology is rigged.

Filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and Bronx Defenders, the allegations say ICE officials in New York City tampered with the software to eliminate the release option.

The plaintiffs, which are referring to the complaint as the ‘no-release policy’, are pointing fingers at changes made in the risk-assessment algorithm that occurred in 2017.

The lawsuit states that from 2013 to June 2017, ICE’s New York division released approximately 47 percent of detainees deemed low risk to be released, but changes to the system saw that rate drop to just three percent from June 2017 to September 2019.

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