Gov’t kept track of journalists, others during caravan
SAN DIEGO • The U.S. government kept a database on journalists, activists, organizers and “instigators” during an investigation into last year’s migrant caravan, infuriating civil liberties and media groups who called it a blatant violation of free speech rights.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection compiled information that contained passport photos, date of birth, suspected role in the caravan and whether they had been arrested. The database was revealed Wednesday by the San Diego TV station KNSD.
People listed in the Homeland Security documents provided to the station included 10 journalists, seven U.S. citizens, an American attorney and 47 people from Central America. Some of the people on the list were denied entry into Mexico and had their passports flagged.
The intelligence-gathering efforts were done under the umbrella of “Operation Secure Line,” which was designed to monitor the caravan of thousands of people who began making their way north from Central America late last year to seek asylum in the United States.
The government compiled the database at a time when the caravan was attracting considerable attention in the White House around the midterm elections, with President Trump repeatedly tweeting about the group.
A Honduran migrant helps a young girl cross to the American side of the border wall in Tijuana, Mexico, in December.