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Note: I am a US Citizen, so this isn't advice for me.

But hypothetically, if I met someone who is a refugee currently in the US, who would probably be jailed or executed if deported to their home country, what are some advice I could give as to their digital OPSEC?

Should they completely ditch using phones, but at the cost of not having constant communications tool to potentially receive notification I.C.E. activities?

What are your advice?

(Just want to gather the knowledge so one day I might be able to help someone)

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[-] surph_ninja@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

Stop being avoidant, and make plans for when you’re caught so you & your family know what the steps will be. Go ahead and contact a lawyer.

[-] CrabAndBroom@lemmy.ml 3 points 12 hours ago

I wonder if some sort of "Dead Man's Switch" might be an appropriate solution for something like this? IIRC there are services that will send out messages to certain people if you don't log in for a set amount of time, so maybe something like that could be set up to email friends/family/a lawyer/the consulate of your home country or whoever in case you get snatched?

It probably won't be able to tell them where you are or what exactly happened obviously, but it could at least let people know something's up.

[-] surph_ninja@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

It’s better than nothing, but I think it’s more prudent to discuss it, write down the plan, and consult an immigration lawyer.

[-] florencia@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 2 days ago

Tell them to fucking move to Canada. OPSEC fails at the border under this current political climate. 😂 intelligence sharing agreement probably gonna get cancelled unless Canada starts paying subscription fees and agrees to more open sharing of Canadian data.

But it sounds like moving out of the country is not an option. If they're registered then they're on an excel spread sheet and eventually will be caught. If they're not registered then let them crash in your attic or garden shed.

If they have a phone not registered in their name then lockdown ios or harden their android.

If their phone is registered then remove/delete the sim card. Lockdown the phone and use the wifi networks which are everywhere for periodic information check ins. Login to a wifi network, use RSS reader to pull down all information updates, log off.

Frankly, long term survival basically requires having a sponsor hide you in an attic.

[-] wuphysics87@lemmy.ml 38 points 3 days ago

Find an attic to live in and start writing a diary

[-] tapdattl@lemmy.world 20 points 3 days ago

Yea I was thinking more like Opsec stuff. I'm not sure those rights will hold up since one of the branches of government is not exactly doing their job ahem supreme court ahem

[-] tapdattl@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

In that case, this seems pretty reasonable -- disclaimer: I can't personally attest to the effectiveness of this

https://github.com/Lissy93/personal-security-checklist

[-] rumba@lemmy.zip 15 points 3 days ago

Flawless opsec is a lot, but at least for now, it's not how they are finding people.

It's tips and borders at the moment. If it becomes police action as well you just have to make sure you're not noticed by the police.

We're probably not all that far off of papers please.

[-] dingdongitsabear@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 days ago

yeah, this. paying attention to good OPSEC is predicated on the idea that you pass as a "native" (which by ~~some crazy logic~~ nazi logic is white hetero dude) and that slipping in that regard is your only threat vector.

if you're obviously outside of that minority, any number of LE-adjacent thugs can make up any pretense to fuck with your shit. or not even bother with pretenses, as things stand right now.

[-] ramenu@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 days ago

it's really sad that we've come to asking questions like this.

[-] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 9 points 3 days ago

Leave the country. Seriously

Why are you there? The US always had been a shit hole but now I really don't see why you'd want to live there

Where to?

I see a possible future.

I attempt to get political asylum in EU.

They will 99% chance reject.

Then I get deported to the US.

Then the ICE agents refuse to recognize my citizenship.

I end up in an el salvador concentration camp.

[-] IttihadChe@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago

Why are your only options the EU or US? Is every other option really unavailable/worse than ending up in a concentration camp? /Gen.

Not saying you should flee just because you face oppression, just wondering about your listed reason not to.

[-] Rose@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days ago

You're not wrong, but if the person is from Mexico, where else do they go? If they don't have many items and can afford a flight to another continent, they could try taking one to a country like Russia, then illegally cross into Europe, but that's another risk.

[-] IttihadChe@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago

Why couldn't they live in Mexico? Why is the EU or US the only option? Is the rapidly declining US really so much better for you that you would risk being detained and sent to a concentration camp than live in Mexico?

[-] Rose@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

It's best to ask those who risk everything just to get to the US. I assume Mexico is inferior by most if not all metrics, at least pre-Trump. For example, you are five times more likely to be murdered in Mexico than in the US.

Edit: killed->murdered

[-] IttihadChe@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago

Yes, that would obviously be best for discovering their individual reasons and I have discussed it with a few. But I'm not asking you why they come here. I'm asking why you believe what you said to be true and valid. I'm Mexican-American myself and your words just didn't sit right with me, it felt like you were just dismissing the whole idea of people living in Mexico...like a liberalized/opposite version of the "if you love Mexico why don't you go back!" We get whenever we show pride for Mexico (Implying that Mexico is a terrible place nobody should want to live or be proud of). I'm sure that wasn't your intention but its how it came off to me.

As for the substance of your response.

While mexico is certainly below in most metrics on averages, that includes wealth and cost of living averages. You shouldn't focus on just averages but the disparity between things like cost of healthcare and general living vs wages. Also being among the lower classes drastically increases your chances to be murdered in the US which isn't accurately represented in the average national statistics. It's not as simple as Mexico being a death pit and America is safe.

[-] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 hours ago

I'm not really part of this discussion but for a lot of people brought to the US as little kids, they don't know anyone in Mexico, maybe don't even speak or read Spanish well enough to get settled there on a moment's notice

[-] IttihadChe@lemmy.ml 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

Yeah and I get that. But they also don't know anyone is Russia and/or Europe and don't speak Polish/German/etc to make sneaking through Russia to Europe a more valid option than going to Mexico.... especially when Europe themselves are going through a big surge in anti-immigant sentiments.

I just didn't like how their message came off as if Mexico was literally Hell to be avoided at any cost.

[-] Rose@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago

I think the mere fact of someone having (presumably) taken the great risks of entering the US illegally and staying illegally is enough to infer that going back is not seen as a viable option, hence me discussing the alternatives as requested. On the other hand, suggesting to go back to Mexico is as good as no advice, because that's what deportation does as well.

[-] IttihadChe@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

"suggesting to go back to Mexico is as good as no advice, because that’s what deportation does as well."

No it's not. Do you deny the existence of the border camps? Do you deny that people are being sent to Guantanamo or an El Salvadorian concentration camp?

Suggesting they go back to Mexico is suggesting that the reward is not worth the heightened risk.

Edit: and to be clear I'm not even suggesting that they do go back. I'd just suggest that they asses the risk/reward and if they choose to stay they NEED to recognize the risk and organize within their communities accordingly.

[-] endofline@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

What's wrong with Mexico? I know a Swiss with Mexican background ( mother Mexican, father Swiss ) who came back to Mexico to permanently live

[-] adespoton@lemmy.ca 14 points 3 days ago

Help them get to Canada?

If that’s not an option and they don’t already have claimant’s status, help them get somewhere off-grid.

If they’ve got claimant’s status already… the government is already keeping tabs on them and will likely hunt them down. Their best bet may be being sent to El Salvador where at least they won’t be tortured and killed (assuming that’s not where they’re from).

[-] Today@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago

First would be to avoid interactions with the police - drive extra carefully, don't let your vehicle inspection/registration expire, etc. It's probably no longer safe to stand in the day labor zones. If they're working under fake credentials, it might be better to find a cash paying individual to hire them as an independent contractor. Feel out your school district - mine has said they won't be reporting anyone as undocumented. They have started referring people for excessive absences the last couple of years (that's about getting butts in seats for funding) so you probably want to avoid getting sent to truancy court.

[-] Xanza@lemm.ee 6 points 3 days ago

With democrats not wanting to stand up, and the judicial branch being silent, there's nothing that can be done right this second. The best advice anyone not supposed to be here can have right now is to simply not be here. If you are, you might get caught and then sent to some inhumane bullshit camp they got popping up.

[-] Mr_fuzzy@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago

The entire plannet is becoming uninhabitable. Globalism is taking control. Maybe you should find a small village in the mountains somewhere.

[-] davel@lemmy.ml 10 points 2 days ago

If you’re going to use the term “globalism” you should at least define it, because some use it as an antisemitic dog whistle.

[-] merde@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago

how can one blend in in U.S.?

[-] Zerush@lemmy.ml -4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Might work, but not if your skin color is not light enough.

But its also problematic since sanctuary cities are the best place an undocumented immigrant could be, and having a maga hat in a sanctuary city is...

Its like you're in the middle of a WW2 battlefield trying to hide from the nazis, by wearing a nazi uniform. (What I'm trying to say is: friendly fire is an issue)

[-] Zerush@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 days ago

But it's always better to seem less suspicious possible

this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2025
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