Thread by @DrMonishBhatia

Home Office (HO) has decided to put GPS tags on refugees who were set for #RwandaDeportation and also on those arriving on boats. Here is my interview in @Independent very clearly highlighting as to why electronic tagging must not be used: independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-n…
A thread (1/10)

(2/10) Tagging is highly intrusive & experienced as punishment. And it is indeed a punishment in the criminal justice context. On top, HO is going to combine it with 'curfew orders' and 'exclusion zones'. So people will be confined and will not be able to enter/leave a location.

(3/10) Also, HO is not clear as to for how long people will remain on tag. Failure to comply with tag+restrictions is a criminal offence! In 2016, The Court of Appeal said HO had no power to impose a curfew under EM powers or general powers under Immigration Act 1971

(4/10) Actually, Supreme Court confirmed that HO FALSELY IMPRISONED migrants by enforcing curefews. It seems like HO are finding ways to re-use tech in different manner See: leighday.co.uk/latest-updates…

(5/10) In my research, migrants who were tagged experienced anxiety, depression, suicide ideation and overall deterioration of mental health. Those who had pre-existing conditions turned worse. In most cases people developed new conditions and suffered a lot.

(6/10)A refugee man in my research was tagged for 18 months+ Also, HO will now have access to enormous individual geo-location data:daily activities, places they visit etc. No safeguards to ensure data will not be abused. A HUGE CONCERN around privacy and individual rights

(7/10) HO has not provided us with justification on necessity/effectiveness of tag OR to support their absconder narrative OR anything that suggests that tags make individuals comply with immigration rules better when compared to humane options.

(8/10) Tags are additional to reporting requirements. They are incredibly dehumanising/degrading. Many people explained how they felt imprisoned. It is NOT (what party-animal celebrities call) 'ankle bracelet'. It is a sinister tech with psychological repercussions for the wearer

(9/10)What we need is a humane community based solutions (emphasis on term humane). Creating pointless 'enforcement based alternatives' only makes vulnerable groups suffer. It is costly (and so is reporting and detention) and a sheer waste of tax payer money.

(10/10)Lastly, in 2010 HO had piloted DNA analysis/genomic surveillance in live asylum cases to ascertain ancestry/geographical origins of applicants to ascertain 'genuineness' of their claims. After a backlash from scientific community, practice stopped #unethical #surveillance

(cont'd) If you wish to learn more about electronic monitoring of migrants, see my podcast with brilliant folks @survivesocpod

m.soundcloud.com/user-622675754…

And here is the research article, which @Race_Class have made it free to read (for those interested).
journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.11…

Those interested in learning how GPS tagging works, see this explainer (h/t @svaroschi)
privacyinternational.org/explainer/4796…