In times of uncertainty, targeted communities must mobilize online

October 31, 2017

Op-Ed

On Oct. 18, a rule by the Department of Homeland Security, which allows the department to collect social media information of every immigrant in the United States, regardless of documentation, went into effect. This rule would also affect U.S. citizens who happen to interact with immigrants online by rendering their conversations vulnerable to government surveillance.

Now, I want to let this sink in for the reader to understand the magnitude of this new rule. Not only is this new rule broad enough to subject nearly everyone’s information to collection, but DHS also has the potential to surveil community organizations that work with immigrants. At UC Berkeley, DHS would be able to collect information of those who work in the Undocumented Student Program as well as the Educational Opportunity Program.

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The Daily Californian