Illegal immigration? There's an app for that.

Blind_Io

Blind_Io

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http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/546a5fb6-d10b-56d2-ae56-4094a1b9e772.html

A UC San Diego professor said he has developed a cell phone tool that may help guide illegal immigrants safely across the border.

Similar to the way hungry drivers can find a restaurant through the global positioning system devices in their cars and cell phones, illegal immigrants soon may be able to plot their ways across the treacherous border between the United States and Mexico.

"It shares some aspects of the GPS systems that people have in cars," said Ricardo Dominguez, a professor of visual arts at UC San Diego. "It locates where you are in relation to where you want to go, what is the best way to get to that point and what you can expect when you reach the endpoint."

Dominguez, an activist and artist, said the reason for developing the technology, which he calls the Transborder Immigrant Tool, is to keep people safe.

Hundreds of people die each year trying to cross the border illegally, according to civil rights groups and authorities on both sides of the border. Many get lost or are abandoned by smugglers in the mountains and deserts east of San Diego.

An estimated 3,861 to 5,607 people have died trying to cross the border over the last 15 years, according to a report released in September and produced by the American Civil Liberties Union and Mexico's National Commission on Human Rights.

"The primary goal of the tool is to offer those crossing a way not to die," Dominguez said.

Peter Nunez, a former U.S. attorney in San Diego who now teaches immigration policy at the University of San Diego, said people who distribute these kinds of devices could be committing a crime because they are helping people come into the country illegally.

"If I drive you over and show you where to cross, that's a crime," Nunez said. "If I'm standing at the border and help you climb over, that's a crime. Theoretically, if you could give them a map, whether it's hand-drawn or computerized, that would also be illegal."

However, authorities are unlikely to go after people who provide these devices because it would be a difficult case to prove in court, Nunez said. It is nevertheless wrong, he added.

"You have to wonder why anyone in the U.S. would want to help someone else break the law," Nunez said. "I find that unconscionable."

One prominent immigrant rights advocate said he sees it differently. Enrique Morones, whose group the Border Angels places water in the desert for migrants to drink, said undocumented people will come across the border, regardless of the new electronic device or his water stations. "No one has ever crossed the border for a drink of water," Morones said. "And no one will come because now there is this device out there."

Dominguez said he began developing the tool two years ago, when a fellow professor told him about a device he was working on that helps hikers find their way. Dominguez also began discussing the project with Morones. Dominguez said he would like to include the location of Morones' water stations and other information that would help illegal immigrants stay safe.

Working with fellow academics, Dominguez said he has been able to install the application on inexpensive Motorola phones. Eventually, he said, he would like to distribute the application free through the Internet to be installed on different kinds of phones.

The phones also could be distributed through church groups and migrant rights organizations, he said.

A spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol in San Diego said the use of GPS-type devices among smugglers is not new. Agents have seen smugglers use the machines to plot their routes across the border, said Border Patrol Agent Mark Endicott.

"It doesn't affect our enforcement posture," he said. "We have seen hand-held GPS devices that have smuggling routes in the memory. Our approach is to continue to be vigilant."

Jeff Schwilk, who heads the North County-based anti-illegal immigration group San Diego Minutemen, said he sees a potentially more dangerous use for the device.

"This cheap app can and will be used by Mexican drug cartels, drug and human smugglers and foreign criminals to commit their crimes on the American side of the border," Schwilk said. "When that happens, Dominguez may be subject to felony aiding and abetting charges."

Dominguez said he expects that kind of criticism from anti-illegal immigration groups. "The Minutemen groups will criticize anyone or anything that attempts to create another view, another passage, about the border that is not one of hard borders and evil immigrants destroying the country," Dominguez said.
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If you're rich enough in Mexico to where you can afford a cell phone with GPS that can download applications, chances are you don't need to immigrate to America.
 
Dogbert said:
If you're rich enough in Mexico to where you can afford a cell phone with GPS that can download applications, chances are you don't need to immigrate to America.
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Exactly.
 
If you read the article, it says the app is made to be installed on cheap Motorolla phones.
 
I just had a thought, if the immigrants can use this app to find a safe route, can't the border patrol then use it to find out where they will be?
 
Blind_Io said:
If you read the article, it says the app is made to be installed on cheap Motorolla phones.
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Yep. And that various groups will be trying to distribute these phones to immigrants.
 
It is unfortunate. Illegal immigration is just that, illegal. I want there to be significantly increased immigration into the United States but I want it done legally.
 
The problem is that as long as it sucks to live in Mexico for these people they will go continue to places that suck less for them, i.e. the US.
 
From now on all media portraying the US should be shot in Detroit or Richmond, CA. Problem solved.
 
The thing that gets me about much immigration (not all btw) is that they immigrate because they say they will be persecuted, tortured, murdered etc. then get here and. ... Try to turn the place into the God forsaken hole they have just run away from. Now is that not odd?
 
/facepalm
A lot of illegal immigrants die when crossing the border? Fuck, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned! I know I sound like a complete assbag we CANNOT possibly allow so many people to come here illegally. I'm 100% for a gigantic electric fence (maybe with guard towers) along the entire border with Mexico. I know life is tough down there but we have our own interests to protect; the US cant help everyone.
 
Dogbert said:
If you're rich enough in Mexico to where you can afford a cell phone with GPS that can download applications, chances are you don't need to immigrate to America.
Click to expand...

I can't even afford a cell phone with GPS

LeVeL said:
/facepalm
A lot of illegal immigrants die when crossing the border? Fuck, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned! I know I sound like a complete assbag we CANNOT possibly allow so many people to come here illegally. I'm 100% for a gigantic electric fence (maybe with guard towers) along the entire border with Mexico. I know life is tough down there but we have our own interests to protect; the US cant help everyone.
Click to expand...

You live in retard land too, have you heard the bill they are trying to pass? Free state college for illegals.
Do you know why I am going to a crap community college? I can't afford the 4 year state colleges. I am a resident and I don't get any damn breaks on that why should they.
 
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