The Washington Post reports that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is working with immigration officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help “find, detain, and deport unauthorized immigrants.”
The report said that the White House initiated using the postal service as an arm of DHS.
Here’s how a local mail carrier would be involved. One would be to report any suspicious behavior or something that looks illegal in the neighborhood. Secondly, DHS would partner with the Postal Inspection Service program to look at “mail covers,” which take pictures of the outside of envelopes and other packages.
DHS would also want data from online Postal Service accounts and package and mail-tracking information. This would include financial information, IP addresses, and credit cards. Access to the Inspection Service’s surveillance systems would provide all of this.
The Trump administration says all of this is needed regarding immigration investigations.
While some civil libertarians and democrats would oppose this partnership, having the involvement of the U.S Postal Inspection Service enforcing federal laws isn’t new.
The USPIS has authority over 200 federal laws related to crimes that affect or misuse the U.S. Mail, the postal system, or postal employees. They can investigate any crime pertaining to mail fraud, identity theft, mail theft, and the illegal mailing of dangerous substances.
They can arrest people committing such a felony, and they serve warrants and subpoenas under the authority of the United States.
Postal Inspectors are authorized to carry firearms as part of their law enforcement duties.
With other agencies like local law enforcement, DHS says postal employees under this program will be trained on what to look for in apprehending illegal immigrants inside the U.S.
