by Frequent Removal initiative rewards repeat detainees with complimentary snacks
In an unprecedented move to “humanize the deportation experience,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement unveiled its new Frequent Removal rewards program, offering undocumented immigrants points for each detention and removal from the United States.
“We heard feedback that our customer experience could be improved,” explained ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner during a press conference held at a detention center in Texas. “Now, every time you’re detained, processed, and deported, you earn valuable rewards points that can be redeemed for prizes like a granola bar, a phone call that actually connects, or a slightly thinner blanket.”
The program, officially called “ICE Miles,” operates on a tiered system. Bronze membersthose with one to three deportationsreceive a complimentary bottle of water during transport. Silver members, with four to seven removals, unlock access to the premium holding cell with “the toilet that sometimes flushes.” Gold status, reserved for immigrants with eight or more deportations, includes a commemorative t-shirt reading “I Survived ICE and All I Got Was This Lousy Shirt and Permanent Trauma.”
Marketing materials for the program feature smiling stock photo models in handcuffs, giving thumbs up next to promotional copy that reads: “Your Journey, Your Rewards!” and “Every Detention Is a New Opportunity to Earn!”
Immigration attorney Maria Gonzalez called the program “possibly the most dystopian thing I’ve encountered in twenty years of practice, and I once watched an agent confiscate a five-year-old’s birthday cake for being a potential security threat.”
“They’re gamifying human suffering,” Gonzalez continued. “What’s next? Leaderboards? Achievement badges? ‘Congratulations, you’ve been separated from your family five timeshere’s a sticker!'”
The Department of Homeland Security defended the initiative, noting that it demonstrates the administration’s commitment to “excellence in enforcement” and “providing value to stakeholders at every stage of the removal pipeline.”
Participating immigrants can track their points through a mobile app, assuming they haven’t had their phones confiscated, aren’t in a detention facility with no cell service, or haven’t been deported to a country where the app isn’t available. Customer support is available via a hotline that plays hold music for an average of four hours before disconnecting.
Early adopters of the program report mixed feelings. Guatemalan national Carlos Mendez, currently on his fourth deportation, said the rewards “don’t really compensate for the systematic violation of human dignity,” but admitted the granola bar was “better than expectedcrunchy, with chocolate chips.”
The program has attracted attention from corporate sponsors eager to align their brands with government efficiency. Delta Airlines signed on as a partner, allowing deportees to earn SkyMiles during their removal flights. “We’re proud to support ICE in making deportation a more rewarding experience,” said a Delta spokesperson, apparently without irony.
Critics argue the program trivializes serious human rights concerns and turns enforcement into a macabre loyalty scheme. Supporters counter that it’s “no different from any other customer retention strategy,” which may actually prove the critics’ point but in a way nobody wants to examine too closely.
ICE plans to expand the program with additional perks, including priority boarding for deportation flights, expedited processing for repeat customers, and a refer-a-friend program that nobody has agreed to explain in detail because even they recognize that might be crossing a line.
When reached for comment, the White House press secretary said the administration is “proud of this innovative approach to immigration enforcement” and that critics “just don’t understand customer service.”
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/ice-launches-customer-loyalty-program/
SOURCE: ICE Launches Customer Loyalty Program, Deportees Earn Miles (Aisha Muharrar)
