The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) mistakenly published on its website on Monday, the data of 6,252 migrants who claim to have fled their countries for fear of persecution and torture.
According to an ICE statement, the agency "erroneously" disclosed the names and surnames, dates of birth, nationalities and addresses of these people.
Although all 6,252 affected migrants are in ICE custody, a federal rule generally prohibits the release of information without the signature of senior Department of Homeland Security officials.
The agency assured that they are investigating the publication of the data that was on the Internet for five hours and will notify the affected migrants.
A detention officer walks through the halls of the Stewart Detention Center, Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, in Lumpkin, Ga. David Goldman / AP
"Although unintentional,
this disclosure of information is a violation of policy and the agency is investigating the incident
and taking any necessary corrective action," ICE said in the statement.
The data represents a danger to migrants and their families, who have denounced torture and persecution in their countries of origin.
Blaine Bookey, legal director of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at the University of California School of Law, told the Los Angeles Times that any public information about asylum seekers "could literally have life and death consequences."
[The authorities evict some 800 migrants who were camping on the banks of the Rio Grande]
Diana Rashid, managing attorney at the National Center for Immigrant Justice, also told the aforementioned newspaper that she found the name of one of her clients on the published list.
"She is seeking protection from removal because she fears persecution if she is returned to her home country. Revealing this information makes her more vulnerable to the persecution and abuse she fears if she is deported," Radish told the publication.
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The agency reported that the data came out on its website at 6:45 am (Pacific time).
Shortly before 11 a.m., the pro-immigrant organization Human Rights First notified the agency of the leak.
According to a spokesman, ICE notified the immigrants' lawyers and themselves of the incident and according to a statement this will allow "to determine if the disclosure may affect the merits of their request for protection."