11 hours ago
As some migrants on Long Island get detained, others turn to a new app tracking ICE sightings
A grassroots organization is using a new tool to alert communities to sightings of federal immigration agents amid an uptick in enforcement on Long Island and President Trump's directive to expand deportation efforts in Democratic-run cities like New York.
Ahmad Perez is the founder of Islip Forward, which created an ICE tracker app to keep communities informed of immigration agent sightings in Suffolk County.
"That will send a push notification as soon as we verify an ICE sighting in the community," Perez said.
App notifies users to reports of ICE agents in the area
The app shows where and when apparent ICE agent sightings take place and provides a photo.
Recently, notifications were sent for two reports in Brentwood and one in Huntington.
"Each time it was agents conducting targeted stops at businesses, at their homes, at places where they should feel safe," Perez said.
He said the aim is to alert app users within 10 minutes of a reported sighting.
"The folks who are going shopping, getting groceries, going to Target, that's enough time for them to consider going back home and protecting themselves and their family," he said.
Since launching in January, the app has been used over 60,000 times, according to Perez. He said it speaks to the fear within the community.
"We want criminals off of our streets. But what we're seeing now is not criminals being taken off our streets. We're seeing innocent families," he said.
CBS News New York reached out to ICE for comment about the app and has not heard back.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement also relies on apps and technology in its work involving migrants. ICE launched an app called SmartLINK in 2018, which can track migrants by the thousands and uses facial recognition technology to keep tabs on them.
