Sarah Toce
This extension automates monitoring through the U.S. Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS), a public website that provides information on the status and location of detained individuals.
Human Rights Watch has launched a free online tool designed to help families, attorneys and advocates track people held in U.S. immigration detention, offering real time updates as detainees are transferred or released.
The tool, called the Immigration Client Locator, is available as a Google Chrome extension and allows users to follow individuals in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Once a person is added, the system provides automatic notifications if that individual is moved to another facility or is no longer in detention.
Human Rights Watch said the tool aims to address longstanding challenges faced by families and legal representatives trying to locate detainees within a complex and often opaque system. Immigration detainees are frequently transferred between facilities, sometimes across state lines, making it difficult for loved ones and attorneys to maintain contact or provide timely legal support.
The extension is a way to improve transparency and communication by consolidating publicly available data into a more accessible and user friendly format. It is intended for use by a range of people, including family members seeking updates on loved ones, lawyers managing active cases and community advocates assisting detained individuals.
The launch comes amid ongoing scrutiny of U.S. immigration detention practices, including concerns about access to legal counsel, family communication and the effects of transfers on detainees’ well-being. Advocacy groups have long argued that limited visibility into detainee movements can delay legal proceedings and increase emotional strain for families.
Human Rights Watch has also released tutorial videos in English and Spanish to help users understand how to install and use the extension. The Immigration Client Locator tool is free to download.
