New policies stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic are making it easier for government and private companies to collect and share vast amounts of personal information on us. While there are many unknowns around the use of this health surveillance data, we do know that the same technology companies used by DHS and local police to track down and criminalize Black, Brown and immigrant communities are building Trump’s health surveillance machinery.
We joined Just Futures Law in the #COVID19Project to find out more about how our data is being collected and shared across private companies and city agencies. On June 11, 2020 three FOIA requests were submitted to the City of Chicago, Chicago Police Department and the Department of Health. The Trump Administration has quietly granted companies like Palantir access to personal data without limits, consent or accountability. We deserve to know how our personal data is used by private agencies that build technology to deport members of our communities.
Read the FOIA's here:
As an undocumented-led collective in the city of Chicago, we will take a moment to breathe and cherish this moment as we prepare to continue the ongoing radical grassroots organizing happening throughout the city. Trump is on his way out of office. However, we know that the same racist and inhumane structures of this capitalist empire are still up and running.
Este taller de criminalización es un recurso preparado por Comunidades Organizadas contra las Deportaciones (OCAD) y el Centro para la Nueva Comunidad (CNC). La clave para luchar contra el sentimiento anti-inmigrante es comprender que no se trata de delincuencia, sino de la criminalización.
We advocate for the elimination of the use of detention centers and deportations, surveillance mechanisms, and “reforms” that exclude the most criminalized amongst us. One way we are doing this is by advocating for the elimination of the City of Chicago’s gang database.
Genoveva’s case is one of OCAD’s first victories. OCAD supported her in filing a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (something that takes a lot of courage). As a result, Genoveva got her U visa approved, is with her family and continues to fight for others.
Wilmer Catalan had been residing in the US for over 10 years and, in March of 2017, ICE agents unlawfully entered his home without a criminal warrant or consent. ICE had conducted a raid based on false information obtained from the Chicago Police Department indicating Wilmer belonged to a street gang.