In a bold move, ICE has shut down two social service programs for undocumented migrants, citing they were as effective as a screen door on a submarine—only slightly better than doing nothing at all.

The decision to terminate the Wraparound Stabilization Service and the Young Adult Case Management Program comes after ICE assessed that both initiatives were too costly and yielded minimal results, with the WSS showing merely a 2% improvement in compliance rates. This shift marks a significant pivot in ICE's priorities as they continue to invest in their Alternatives to Detention program, which boasts a jaw-dropping 98.6% court appearance rate, proving that when it comes to immigration policy, sometimes less truly is more.

The Wraparound Stabilization Service (WSS), launched in February 2020, was designed to offer psychosocial and behavioral health support for vulnerable migrants. However, ICE officials soon discovered that although the program aimed to create a safety net, it instead resembled a hula hoop—colorful and enticing, but certainly not a reliable mode of support. After nearly three years of operation, the agency noted the WSS had a compliance rate just two percentage points above that of non-participants, effectively giving it the same success rate as a weather forecast predicting sunshine on a rainy day. In July, ICE stopped all referrals to the program, probably to redirect the funds meant for hula hoops to something more effective.

Meanwhile, the Young Adult Case Management Program (YACMP) was supposed to offer legal support and screenings to young migrants aged 18 and 19, but it met a similar fate. ICE's reason for its termination? Apparently, it didn't align with their mission, which raises the question: Was that mission not providing support after all? ICE's decision in June not to renew the vendor contract was, according to reports, based on fiscal limitations and a lack of alignment with agency priorities. As far as priorities go, compliance rates that closely resemble a slight uptick above random chance do not often make the cutting edge of strategic initiatives.

Let's not forget about ICE's 'Alternatives to Detention' (ATD) program, which has managed to avoid the grim fate that befell the WSS and YACMP. With 98.6% of participants showing up to their court hearings, the ATD program is practically the overachiever of the group. This staggering court appearance rate practically sings the praises of tracking through GPS and app check-ins instead of relying on social services to keep people accountable. It seems that when it comes to managing undocumented migrants, ICE believes that monitoring their movements is more effective than offering them a friendly ear.

Of course, the high court appearance rates come with a number, as 3,913 migrants currently facing criminal charges have found themselves entangled in the system through the ATD program. Among those, 688 convictions have emerged, with some pertaining to more severe offenses than overstaying a visa. Perhaps this alludes to the reality that, sometimes, in the world of immigration policy, being tethered can lead to quite a bit of unwelcome legal entanglement.

As ICE adjusts its approach to focus on strategies that deliver quantifiable results, the program adjustments also raise questions about the impact on the individuals themselves. Critics might argue that shutting down programs designed to support vulnerable populations while ramping up enforcement mechanisms doesn't always align with humanitarian principles. Existing services that focused on stability and support have now been replaced by tracking programs that may lack the warmth of a passing kindness that even the most rambunctious GPS systems can’t replicate. One might wonder if there are more than just organizational priorities at play, but rather the complex dynamics of budget season and stakeholder expectations.

Looking ahead, observers will be keen to see if this recalibration of priorities will affect anyone other than the unfortunate souls caught in the middle. After all, it’s hard to argue against a number like 98.6% when it suggests a successful tracking mechanism, though one might wish for a little more reflection on the ‘humans’ aspect than merely the ‘data’ aspect of such calculations. Perhaps one day, ICE will master the elusive balance between cost and compassion.

In a world where the effectiveness of social programs is measured in hard statistics, it may be just as valuable to ask: what are the soft outcomes? For now, however, it appears ICE’s strategy will continue to pivot towards enforcement measures, possibly leading to a future where programs that help ease the transitions for migrants remain just a wishful thought—akin to someone wishing for a new hula hoop to magically appear while standing next to a sticker-covered bubble of tracking devices. As these policies evolve, it seems the only guarantee is that we'll be observing from the sidelines, popcorn in hand, with our eyebrows raised in bemusement.