New White House Website Highlights ICE Arrests, Cites US as Country of Origin
The White House recently launched a dedicated website showcasing arrests of illegal immigrants, presenting the United States as the country of origin for many of those detained in various cities nationwide.
Aliens.gov Initially Resembles UFO Files
Initially teased as “Aliens.gov,” the website featured a dramatic intro reminiscent of The X-Files before revealing itself as an interactive map detailing arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the Trump administration. Users can search the data by geographical region across the country.
White House Addresses Misidentification Issues
When NOTUS inquired about the listing of the United States as a target for ICE arrests, a White House representative acknowledged the mistake. The official explained, “This site aggregates directly from arrest reports and pulls data directly from DHS, but initially included a small number of nonimmigrant (Homeland Security Investigations) arrests. This has been updated.”
Ongoing Errors Persist on the Site
Despite the update, as of Friday afternoon, “United States” continued to appear as the country of origin for numerous ICE arrests in major cities including Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami. Additionally, several geographic names were misspelled in the arrest reports, with instances of “Boltmore” appearing instead of “Baltimore,” and various inaccuracies in listing locations such as “Minneapolis, Minnesota.”
Inconsistencies Highlighted in Arrest Data
The website also reflects inconsistencies in the reporting of arrest data. For instance, “DC, District of Columbia” shows 28 arrests, while “Washington, District of Columbia” reports only three, and “Washington, DC” lists a staggering 1,827 arrests. These discrepancies raise questions about the quality of the data being presented.
Previous Errors Cast Doubt on Administration’s Reporting Accuracy
This isn’t the first time the administration has faced criticism for inaccuracies in public reporting. Last year, NOTUS highlighted inconsistencies in the “Make America Healthy Again” report, which cited non-existent research. The White House had also previously dealt with cybersecurity vulnerabilities and the deletion of a controversial social media post linking an immigrant to unproven crimes.
Site Development and Future Implications
Much of the content on this unconventional website has been developed by the National Design Studio, a team established following a presidential order to modernize federal government websites. This site has faced scrutiny for accessibility issues and poor coding practices. It features a disturbing counter that suggests there have been over 3 million “encounters,” alongside interactive arrest data, while also providing a means for the public to report illegal immigrants anonymously.
Administration Faces Scrutiny Over ICE Actions
The deployment of ICE and National Guard personnel to U.S. cities has drawn fervent criticism. Earlier this year, incidents involving immigration officials resulted in the deaths of two Americans in Minneapolis. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security recently announced plans to extend training for new ICE employees after a significant reduction in the program last year.
