President Donald Trump’s administration launched a new alien-themed website showing statistics and interactive maps on immigration arrests carried out in the United States, an initiative that quickly drew criticism from human rights defenders and pro-immigrant organizations for the tone used to describe undocumented immigrants.
The portal, identified as “Aliens.gov”, uses visual references inspired by science fiction films and the “Megastar Wars” saga. Upon entering the site, users see moving text accompanied by stars and space graphics. The most important message assures that “extraterrestrials walk among us”, in an obvious comparison between immigrants and beings from another planet.
“They have lived in our neighborhoods, shopped in our stores and attended the same schools as our children,” the site’s text states. Later he adds: “With one exception: they don’t belong here.”
The page also features a real-time counter that shows more than 3 million immigration “encounters,” a figure that matches data previously released by the Department of Homeland Security on detentions and border crossings recorded in recent years.
Interactive map and citizen complaints
One of the central elements of the portal is a heat map of the United States that allows you to see immigration-related arrests in specific cities and states.. The information includes dates of arrest, nationality of detainees, alleged criminal records and possible gang ties, according to data collected by the Immigration Service and Customs Enforcement Administration (ICE).
Additionally, the site includes a direct link to the ICE reporting form for citizens to report what the White House calls “suspicious aliens.” The tool was presented by officials as part of a “transparency” strategy on the immigration policies promoted by Trump.
A White House official told conservative American media that the platform seeks to demonstrate the impact that, according to the administration, the previous government’s border policy had on public safety.
“President Trump was the first to warn about the danger that illegal aliens pose to American families,” the website states in one of its most controversial messages.
The launch of the portal also aroused curiosity because months ago the White House had discreetly registered the domains “Alien.gov” and “Aliens.gov”, which generated speculation about a possible disclosure of documents related to UFOs or unidentified aerial phenomena.
Criticism grows due to the tone of the message
The new platform appears in the midst of the intensification of immigration operations promoted by the Trump administration and growing protests in different cities of the country against mass raids and deportations.
Civil organizations and activists accused the government of using dehumanizing language towards immigrants by comparing them to aliens.. Various human rights groups also questioned the promotion of citizen complaints, arguing that it could foster racial profiling and fear among immigrant communities.
The debate occurs while ICE maintains an expansion of its operations in detention centers and urban areas with a high migratory flow. Data from the American Immigration Council indicate that tens of thousands of people remain in immigration custody in different parts of the country.
The Trump administration has defended its immigration strategy as a necessary measure to strengthen border security and fulfill one of the president’s main campaign promises: increase deportations and toughen immigration enforcement throughout the United States.
So far, the White House has not publicly responded to criticism related to the content and tone of the new website.
Keep reading:
- Activist Javier Zamora criticizes Trump’s immigration policies and warns about dehumanization
- UFOs, invisible enemies and American decline
- Six Americans sue Trump administration for ICE abuses: ‘We are all human beings’
