Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will launch a pilot program in 2022 for ICE officials in some cities to wear body cameras. The December 21 announcement by Secretary Mayorkas said the body cam pilot program is to increase accountability and safety:
“The body worn camera pilot is an effort to increase transparency between ICE and the communities we serve, enhance officer safety, and deliver on our commitment to accountability.”
The ICE body cam pilot will be in Houston, New York City and Newark, and the cameras will be mounted on ICE agents’ outerwear including vests, shirts or helmets.
Body Cams Increase Police Accountability
A 2021 study Body-Cam Worn Cameras in Policing by the University of Chicago Crime Lab on the implementation of body cameras in police departments found:
• 17% drop in complaints about police
• 10% drop in the use of force by police
Only 15-20% of people who are picked up by ICE will ever speak to an attorney. Immigrants facing deportation who have a lawyer are up to 10 times more likely to win their cases. Many undocumented individuals are not represented by a deportation defense lawyer in their court deportation hearings or miss their Notice to Appear. A Notice to Appear informs immigrants of their court dates and obligations and is only printed in English. 80% of Notice to Appear hearings resulted in in absentia removal orders because the individual was not in court.
Watch: Immigration Attorney Mario Godoy Explains What To Do If You Are Picked Up By ICE:
You have rights! Call us if you or a loved one are detained. If you or a loved one are picked up in an ICE raid, you and your family need to move quickly so you can have an attorney advocate next to you. Call the immigration lawyers at Godoy Law Office in Chicago to protect your rights at 630-912-0322.
