Comments for Illegal Immigration: There's an App for That

Illegal Immigration: There's an App for That

2009-11-17T02:00:38Z

From a group calling themselves Electronic Civil Disobedience comes the Transborder Immigrant Tool, a simple mobile application intended to aid and abet border-crossers from Mexico to the United States by mapping the safest routes to take.

This GPS app is built to work on the cheapest cell phones available. It brings to mind every petty-but-illegal transgression the casual user could commit and stretches the boundaries of the permissibility of tech's uses for plausibly illegal means. The next time you use P2P or bit torrent clients to download media or use an iPhone app to detect police radars, think about this mobile application and how it reflects on American law and the Internet.

]]> UPDATE: According to the Transborder Immigration Tool website, the application uses Spatial Data Systems and GPS "for simulation, surveillance, resource allocation, management of cooperative networks and pre-movement pattern modeling (such as the Virtual Hiker Algorithm) an algorithm that maps out a potential or suggested trail for real a hiker/or hikers to follow." In addition to allowing would-be illegal immigrants quick and simple access to map information, the application's creators hope it will "add an intelligent agent algorithm that would parse out the best routes and trails on that day and hour for immigrants to cross this vertiginous landscape as safely as possible."

On startup, the app finds GPS satellites. Once the user begins moving, the app acts as a compass that shows the direction the user is heading and also shows the direction a user must travel to reach a "safety site."

The app seems to originate from a hacktivist group out of UCSD - hardly a historical hotbed of technological innovation, but close enough to the US-Mexican border to have a significant impact on the politics of technology in that area. The group also advocates DDoS-like digital sit-ins to bog down the resources of websites it deems offensive.

In an interview with Vice Magazine, the app's creator, Ricardo Dominguez, said, "We looked at the Motorola i455 cell phone, which is under $30, available even cheaper on eBay, and includes a free GPS applet. We were able to crack it and create a simple compass-like navigation system. We were also able to add other information, like where to find water left by the Border Angels, where to find Quaker help centers that will wrap your feet, how far you are from the highway - things to make the application really benefit individuals who are crossing the border."

Hundreds of would-be immigrants are killed each year while trying to enter the United States.

Check out this Border Patrol YouTube video on the newly installed double-layered fencing between the U.S. and Mexico, a fence that stretches between 700 and 800 miles along the Rio Grande.

The application is currently in an alpha state of development. Dominguez hopes that, through working with Mexican communities, churches, and other organizations, the app will be ready to use soon.

So, what do our readers think? Is this Dominguez a political dissident or a legitimate academic researcher - or both? And is a mobile app enabling illegal Mexican immigration to the U.S. a live-saving tool for those who seek better opportunities, or is it simply another law-breaking tool developed by tech hackers for life hackers, a workaround to cheat the system?

Comment from ntruvision ntruvision on 2011-02-24

2011-02-24T13:34:06Z

The previous commentators tackled the issue of the immigrants never paying taxes which would help in these recession times and asking instead to have the same rights as the tax payers.
Some people even came with the idea that the illegal immigrants who bought houses they couldn't afford were one of the factors that triggered the financial crisis: http://www.financialcrisisforu...
But from the pragmatic point of view, what can be done with these people?
Unfortunately, illegal immigration into the United States is highly profitable proposition for both employers and the U.S. government, and it also benefits Mexico, which is the largest source country of undocumented immigrants into the US.
The US and Mexican governments actively stimulated illegal immigrants to enter USA and to work illegally for profit-hungry U.S. employers. Poverty-stricken immigrants , who are often desperate to house and feed their families, respond to the financial enticements...and then are blamed by U.S. citizenry for illegally being in the US.

Comment from Kim K on 2010-12-08

2010-12-08T17:07:20Z

Wow, that's crazy man. They should really try to do something to fix that.

Comment from caring on 2010-09-27

2010-09-28T01:15:34Z

first of all we cant put all the blame on the illegals ,we need to focus on who is the real culprit here no one in there right mind is going to come here to this country if there is no employment waiting on them,so guess who is hiring who,well you know, go to your local restaurant or your construction company ,look around you,its American small business company's and food chains owned and operated by Americans the same ones that laid off over 8 million of us for cheaper wages from an outsource and willing and able participates that will take far less pay so companies will gain more profits .we need to ( wake up) America and realize that we are paying for a losing battle we need to go after the company's that bring them over or do you like paying your hard earned money for taxes ,for a battle we cant win.one other thing if you so call the L.A riots the violence escalated to legal immigrants they were based on the legal immigrants that the government grants amnesty to whats the difference you ask well its simple come from a communist country they are classified as a refugee and they are granted money, housing college,and a small business as a gift.who,s loony idea was it to make one individual different from an other. so wake up, don't point the finger in wrong direction lets get to the root of the problem.

Comment from vincent on 2010-06-07

2010-06-07T23:47:15Z

I say parents must be deported and they should have a right to leave or take there child with them then when the child is of age he should be allowed in this way we aren't violating any constitutional rights

Comment from Jeff on 2010-03-17

2010-03-17T23:08:29Z

I think all Border Patrol agents should have an iPhone with this app, and increase patrols along all the recommended routes and 'safe' places. And I seriously doubt someone in Border Patrol hasn't already thought of that.

Really, these people are total idiots to broadcast this information to the world as if they are doing illegal aliens a favor. And what amazes me is that these people have a college degree and didn't think they were basically telling the Border Patrol where to find illegals. Damn. I hope they are not doing anything important. But if they are making apps like this one, then I guess that answers the question.

Also if a cell phone is communicating with a cell network (i.e., not on 'airplane mode'), then it's very easy to use the cell phone towers to locate someone attempting to cross the border. A cell phone is like an RF beacon that says "Here I am" to all the surrounding cell towers. The border patrol would be foolish if they aren't already using this fact against people attempting illegal entry.

Comment from babs on 2010-03-12

2010-03-12T21:29:04Z

Why does everyone that is for allowing open borders and amnesty always accuse those on the other side of the issue (believing in securing our borders and upholding the law) of hating people that are different? Americans are all different, so I think the whole race card thing is ridiculous. If someone drives drunk, they should go to jail. If someone kills, someone they should go to prison. If someone crosses illegally into a country that is not their own, they should be deported. Why is that hate talk? That is common sense and upholding the law. If an American went to another country without proper visas, they would eventually be caught and deported too. We are not the only country that has border laws. We are just the only country that everyone seems to want to come to because we have way too many freebies that real citizens are paying for.

Comment from Amy on 2009-12-16

2009-12-16T21:53:06Z

Is there anything keeping law enforcement from knowing where they're not supposed to be today?

Just askin...

Comment from Shooter McGavin on 2009-12-02

2009-12-02T14:45:56Z

I don't imagine this application will make very much difference, given that there are relatively few deaths as a percentage of border crossings, and the application doesn't seem to provide intelligence on the Border Patrol. Anyone intelligent enough to write the application would know that, so I'd chalk this down as a publicity stunt.

As for the political angle, I tend to vie on the side of free speech and feel that programmers should be able to write what they want. As for illegal aliens, every last one of them should be deported immediately and businesses that hire them should be fined $100,000 per illegal alien employee per day. And frankly stopping illegal immigration doesn't go far enough, as huge swathes of this country no longer look like America at all.

Comment from Richard Pagano on 2009-11-26

2009-11-27T07:46:05Z

Beaucoup ignores the fact that the Spanish and the Mexicans both used force to take the lands of the American Southwest from the many native American tribes which inhabited them. Onate may be viewed as a Spanish and Mexican hero, but he is certainly not viewed that way by the Pueblo peoples. Beaucoup's article is reason enough to oppose amnesty. He points out these illegal immigrants are truly American-Mexicans and their loyalty is to Mexico in contrast to the millions of Mexican-Americans whose roots go deep in America and whose loyalty is to this nation. I do not understand those who flee their native land for a better life here in America and than commit themselves to making America mirror their native land. My ancestors appreciated their roots but also appreciated the opportunities which America offered them. In 1938, my grandfather made his decision, when government agents asked him about a cousin who avidly supported Fascist Italy. He told the agents that he was an American, and what she did was her problem. Perhaps, we are approaching the time to separate the Mexican-Americans from the American-Mexicans. The streets of our cities will run red with the blood of the innocents before Mr. Beaucoup's vision of America is realized. What he speaks of is treason, and one terrible, past war was fought because of attempts to destroy the Union. That should be lesson enough of what his view of America could lead to.

Comment from Alex Soojungkim Pang on 2009-11-19

2009-11-20T05:55:20Z

"UCSD... [is] hardly a historical hotbed of technological innovation"? Huh? CalIT2 is one of the best and most interesting places in the world to do research on high-speed computer networks and their uses; UCSD has supported some pretty interesting work in geolocation and social networking; and Qualcomm is just up the road. Whatever you think about it as a political statement, the fact that it was developed by a group at UCSD makes perfect sense.

Comment from G.P.T. Beaucoup on 2009-11-19

2009-11-20T05:48:38Z

The Mexicans are immigrating to the parts of Mexico that were taken from them 150 years ago. And they are reproducing faster than Americans, so eventually, large chunks of the southwestern USA will be more Mexican than American. Mexican immigration to USA is as legal as the American annexation of Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, etc. By using American social resources, they are effectively claiming a vanishingly small fraction of the wealth of these states that previously belonged to Mexico.

American businesses want cheap Mexican labour, so the fences won't ever be complete. Americans want to feel protected, so the government builds big fences near the big roads that people take to cross over the Mexican border.

Comment from 2010@10291929.com on 2009-11-19

2009-11-19T20:04:05Z

NoAmnesty: I second the motion.

Comment from William Sheldon on 2009-11-18

2009-11-19T02:48:05Z

It makes me sick that you would lend your credibility to an application that helps people cross into our country illegally. Do you have children? The parents of the child described in this story have a daughter.

source: http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4709

Therapy dog helps girls testify against illegals who raped her

On October 30, illegal aliens Juan Hernandez-Monzalvo, 25, and Richard Morales-Marin, 24, were found guilty by an Orange County, FL jury of kidnapping and sexual battery, along with other charges.

On February 5, 2009, the 11-year-old girl was walking to school when she was grabbed by the two Mexican nationals, who forced her into their car at knifepoint. They drove her to an abandoned house where both men took turns raping her.

Subjects: Illegal Immigrants, sexual assaults, kidnapping, previously deported, Mexico, child molestation

November 17, 2009
Dave Gibson
Clarity Digital Group LLC d/b/a Examiner.com

Because of the girl’s young age and the severe trauma she has suffered, prosecutors brought a therapy dog into the courtroom to help calm her frayed nerves and allow her to testify against her brutal attackers.

The little girl never looked at her assailants, but locked eyes with the gentle Golden Retriever as he lay close to her, and described the ordeal to the courtroom.

“He grabbed my neck and put a knife to my throat,” she said.

She continued: “He told me to get in the car, I was crying. He told me if I didn’t he’d kill me.”

She said that when the pair was finished with her, they ordered her to put her clothes on and get back into the car. They drove her to another area and fled.

She said: “He told me to get out and they drove off really fast.”

The girl then knocked on doors throughout the neighborhood until finding someone to help her.

Sickeningly, one of the men, Morales-Marin, testified that he thought the little girl was a prostitute and that she went with them willingly. He claimed that he did not realize she was only a child until after he and his cohort had both raped her, when he noticed her small backpack.

Both men face up to life in prison and will be sentenced in January.

One of the rapists, Juan Hernandez-Monzalvo, had actually been previously deported to Mexico, but easily made his way back to Florida. He has been arrested many times for driving without a license.

Both Hernandez-Monzalvo and Morales-Marin are suspected of committing other sexual assaults in the area. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office say that DNA evidence has linked Morales-Marin to a recent rape near a local mall.

Comment from NoAmnesty on 2009-11-18

2009-11-19T02:39:51Z

E-verify, police able to profile / detain, no public services without verification, get rid of allowing alien anchor babies becoming automatic citizens.
Mexicans -Quit having babies you cannot afford even if your religion forbids protective sex. Americans do not want to pay for your views. If you're so proud of being Mexican than stay home and fix your own country.
I know I know. The truth hurts sometimes.

Comment from Bob Claycomb on 2009-11-18

2009-11-19T00:02:24Z

A lot of discussion on this issue is emotional. I think we need to focus on the long-term effects on the country. First of all, what is the optimum population level for this country? We now have a population of at least 305 million, and three credible population forcasts in the last couple of years forecast a population of 430-450 million by 2050, and up to a billion or more by 2100. Can we sustain open space and provide our own food and energy at those population levels? We need to figure out what kind of population density we want, and adjust the levels of immigration to keep that level, rather than having no cap on it. Of course, in order to make it work, we have to gain control of the borders, the ports, and the visa process, or the whole system of legal immigration will simply be bypassed, the way it is now.

Comment from Abe on 2009-11-18

2009-11-18T22:22:48Z

Horrible idea, this app is very dangerous. Will endanger national security.

Comment from Abouthadit on 2009-11-18

2009-11-18T19:28:11Z

The word ILLEGAL is used for a reason. So is ALIEN. We are describing lawbreakers who have no desire to become Americans nor to assimilate into American society therefore they are, by definition, not immigrants but aliens. They are parasitic leeches who have nothing to offer but lying, stealing, cheating, sexual abuse of children, drugs and crime. If they had any cajones, they would stay home and fix their own problems.

Comment from Nezua on 2009-11-18

2009-11-18T16:50:51Z

Brittanicus is a well-known copy&paste troll who might as well be a hate-robot. Nobody online takes him seriously, "Andrews."

This is amazing tech.

Power to the People.

Comment from Andrews on 2009-11-18

2009-11-18T14:36:09Z

Brittancus makes a great case.
Also,focusing on the individual illegal aliens
blinds us to the fact that Mexico is creating an Illegal
Insurgent Mexican Nation...MS13,etc.,"Loyal to Mexico First Into the 7th Generation" says Juan Hernandez-Mexico's Minister of Mexicans Abroad of more than 20 million within the borders of the USA!
Aiding and abetting this illegal mass immigration
will only make the USA more like Mexico and change
us not them!

Comment from Bas on 2009-11-17

2009-11-18T04:39:09Z

I think some people do not have a brain. Are we human or animals. I do not understand how a human can hate another one because they live in your territory and speak more languages than us. First of all only ignorant people are saying that some illegal aliens are taking american jobs. They might be illegals because of crossing the border or overstaying their visa but they are good workers. In fact that why many of us fear them because the work harder than we do. THATS THE SAD TRUTH. They will work even for a dollar an hour to at least support their familly and help make the goods that we are buying less cheaper so we can afford them. I am pretty sure that 70% of those illegals are working right now maybe one of us got his life saved by an immigrant who happen to be illeg.als. If you look at the statistics illegals drunk drivers are less than 10%. Let's look at the bright side and help each other that is what GOD command us to do. Mass deportation is expensive but i wish they could do it so we can see the importance of those people. We all are against law breakers. However we have to ask ouserlves why are these peoples risking their lives to come to our great country?
Think about that.

Comment from Brittancus on 2009-11-17

2009-11-17T20:36:22Z

E-VERIFY OVERTIME CAN REDUCE THE 20-30 MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN THE WORKPLACE BY "ATTRITION." WE DON'T NEED DEPORTATION ON A MASSIVE SCALE AS THEY WILL LEAVE ON THERE OWN. POLITICIANS CAN ADD AMENDMENTS TO THE 1986 IMMIGRATION BILL, INSTEAD OF THE TRAVESTY OF FORCING A NEW ONE ON THE FINANCIALLY HURTING AMERICAN PEOPLE?
Bloggers nationwide brought to the public attention the need to stop the infiltration of illegal immigrants in the workplace. Now the voice of --THE PEOPLE--are demanding sealing the borders tight and that every corrupt politician catering to corporate welfare--MUST GO, Starting with Sen.Harry Reid (D-NV) Special attention should be drawn to incorrigible governors, lawmakers, mayors judges and elected officials who have ordained policies of SANCTUARY STATES.

Hopefully E-Verify will become a nationwide vetting system to remove illegal workers from your office or from your factory? It has shown its efficiency, because the open border organizations have moved heaven and earth to smash it? Now it is firmly entrenched in every American workers mind, that it can save their jobs. Even Sen.Harry Reid, who tried to table E-Verify failed miserably and now, is funded for another 3 years. This gives reputable politicians time to make E-Verification mandatory as it’s been evaluated as a good immigration enforcement instrument and it could be introduced for other purposes. As a national legal people's identifier and combined with other data bases, it usages could be essential to recognize fraudulent drivers license, auto registration. Child support, health care and many other verifications of individual who think they are safe from government. But its main restrictions will to terminate foreign nationals appropriating US workers jobs.

In the future this data base could be established at airport terminals for departures and arrivals. It will be an ongoing fight against the opponents such as US chamber of Commerce, ACLU, Council of Foreign Relations, business organizations, agriculture and other groups. It is certain to be a bargaining chip in shoving through another Comprehensive Immigration Reform package, that will devastate America. An overflow of poor, uneducated humanity, looking for free health care will start pouring into our nation. Around the world rumors are already flying that if you slip across the sieve of a border, you can get work as low income and get all your taxes back by lying on the tax form. Tax credits for non-existent supported children is an industry, that costs the US taxpayer billions a year. If Napolitano thinks that --ALL--Democrats will accept another trillion dollar budget deficit, cause by a new BLANKET AMNESTY.

That bridge is still available in Brooklyn..? Very few Republicans will accept another AMNESTY? Not too much chance from Independents. Nor will legal immigrants or ethnic Americans who were born here, fought in four wars. Even people from South of the border are very reticent of allowing more people in, when there is 15 million unemployed. It means millions of low skilled workers would feel the crunch first, as already illegal immigrants who take their wages under the table, especially in Sanctuary States and undermine US labor?

I know quite a few Democrats who signed onto the Obama Presidency that will fight against any travesty called Comprehensive Immigration Reform? The one in 1986 was a complete disaster and unable to handle the sudden in surge of millions of more destitute people, thinking they were going to collect welfare? Our country is overrun with every conceivable crime, that includes murder, child and female violation, document fraud, transporting of illegal aliens, welfare fraud, house invasion, burglary, robbery, spousal abuse, gangs and other heinous activities The biggest scourge is drunken driving, which is killing and maiming citizens and residents on the highways and streets in rampant numbers. Go to THE DARK SIDE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION site for statistics. The doors to America are wide open, but nobody in their right mind is going to accept the first surge of 2-3 million coming from the South when they hear Lady Napolitano proclaiming a new AMNESTY? Those who believe in America’s survival, without OVERPOPULATION as stated by the US Census bureau better read facts, not the lies at NUMBERSUSA. Those who want details of corruption in WASHINGTON and state government go to JUDICIAL WATCH. Overpopulation, traffic hell should go to CAPSWEB. Other sites of interest on Immigration enforcement is ALIPAC and AMERICAN PATROL. We the people have the ultimate power to throw out anti-sovereignty incumbent politicians. Call and command these do-nothings to--STOP--this facade at 202-224-3121.

Comment from Ricardo Dominguez on 2009-11-17

2009-11-17T17:48:42Z

Hello,

Thanks for looking into our research and project. But, let me make correction about
the name of the group and practice:

The Electronic Disturbance Theater (EDT) is a small group of artivists engaged in developing the theory and practice of Electronic Civil Disobedience (ECD) since
1998, with the development of FloodNet (the first automated virtual sit-in tool).
Our current project the Transborder Immigrant Tool continues this tradition of
artivism - the merger of technology, activism and art. The tool is both a
simple safety tool and a poetic gesture about hospitality. To move away from
GPS and to a Global Poetic System.

http://bang.calit2.net/xborderblog/?p=96

Ricardo Dominguez (P.I. b.a.n.g lab - http://bang.calit2.net )

Comment from the laughing illegal on 2009-11-17

2009-11-17T16:17:12Z

anyway if they kicked out all the illegals, ppl will keep coming from all the countries, so i guess there's no solution for that, if there were ppl here that don't like to see colored ppl, speaking in other languages please rip your eyes off and your ears too, quick solution!, by the way i think that in the same way ppl around the world learn English, Americans should learn another language, to over come that inferior feeling and to stop being scare of illegals. lol

Comment from the illegal on 2009-11-17

2009-11-17T16:04:29Z

for all the ppl saying that the current situation of the states is due to the illegals, I ask them to read and watch the news, please come on!, you're own politicians and even that president of yours, the one that everybody thought was the savior is fucking the country, not only he lied to get in the chair, but he's continuing bush's work, so anyway who wants to go to the states now, when the government it's turning it's own ppl into slaves, and you guys blame ppl from other countries, lol, what you have to do is get the rats out of the kitchen, you need to start fixing your federal reserve and then your economy will be the economy it was, but you Americans need to do it, now, before it's too late. there shouldn't be barriers, period. when you Americans wanna come to Mexico, they don't ask you for properties or lots of money in the bank, simply get your passport and you're welcome but the states makes it hard, for us, that's why we have to cross illegally, now please try to understand your government, tree is recognized by its fruits, to know who's the one to blame it's enough to see who's the one getting all the benefits.

Comment from Delaware Bob on 2009-11-17

2009-11-17T14:46:34Z

Now I can’t say the ILLEGAL ALIENS are completely to blame for the shape of our economy, but they are a BIG part of the problem. The ILLEGAL ALIENS send BILLIONS upon BILLIONS out of this Country every year, money we will NEVER see again. Does this help our economy?

How about the BILLIONS the American taxpayers fork out for the ILLEGAL ALIEN BABIES, the schooling of them, the medical care and the list goes on, and on, and on.

How about the MILLIONS upon MILLIONS paid to jail ILLEGAL ALIENS for the crimes, then the cost to deport them. Does this help our economy?

Then you have these activist groups, the Catholic Church and the ACLU that want AMNESTY for these ILLEGAL ALIENS. It would be absolute suicide for this Country if AMNESTY were granted to the 20 million or so ILLEGAL ALIENS. We have more and more people out of work everyday and they want to add another 20 million to this Country? I say, “NO”!

If AMNESTY were ever granted to these 20 million ILLEGAL ALIENS, you can bet big money that 3 years from now, there would be ANOTHER 3-5 million ILLEGAL ALIENS demonstrating on our soil for AMNESTY.

An end MUST come to this illegal immigration. The perfect tool we have so far is E-Verify. It MUST be used by ALL businesses and Government Social Services. EVERY employee must be checked! If they are illegal, they are to be dismissed!

I believe it is time for all 50 States to pass a State law, like Arizona, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina and a few others. It is time for these ILLEGAL ALIENS to go back to their home Country and get out of this Country. The problems they are causing will not go away until the ILLEGAL ALIENS are out of this Country. I think that is plain to see.

It's time for ZERO TOLERENCE with these ILLEGAL ALIENS. It's time for them to get back to their own country where they belong.

Comment from Charles van Atta on 2009-11-17

2009-11-17T11:21:03Z

Sounds good -- does it send Texas back to Mexico for good? Now that would be an app I'd pay for...

Comment from peter on 2009-11-17

2009-11-17T08:32:01Z

Is it a life-saving tool for those who seek better opportunities? Yes. Is it a law-breaking tool developed by tech hackers to cheat the system? Yes. What I want to know is why it keeps giving me directions to Lou Dobbs' house.

Comment from clé usb on 2009-11-16

2009-11-17T06:22:30Z

If you read my comment, you might be able to figure out that it referred to immigration trends since 1995 which have not observed any significant variations, even with the current fence. The current fence just deterred coyotes from using 'traditional' routes and now they enter using new ones, albeit risky and life-endangering. The current government policies are deficient and short-sighted. I hope this can shed some light on your understanding of the actual utility of the current fence system.

Comment from Deane on 2009-11-16

2009-11-17T05:11:32Z

Saying it works to "aid and abet border-crossers" isn't clear at all... How does it work?

You're the best in terms of what kind of content will broaden the RWW reader base. Usually tech-geek websites are so insular. They mostly are about tech-geeks drinking each others Kool-Aid. So, as always, thanks for not drinking as much Kool-Aid as the rest of 'em.

You make this site more real, more diverse and more sophisticated! But in this case, I'd rather understand what you're talking about rather than praise how good you are at what you do!

Peace!