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In Los Angeles, several undocumented migrants have started downloading a new mobile application called “Alma,” designed to alert family members, lawyers, and consulates when a person is arrested by immigration agents in the United States.
The tool, available in English and Spanish, sends the exact location of the detained individual and activates an immediate assistance chain, reported Noticias Tele Mundo.
"These are moments of anguish, and we must be prepared," said María Medina, an immigrant who already has it installed on her phone.
The application was promoted by the organization Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund (SALEF), along with other immigrant rights advocacy groups.
The developers explain that "Alma" operates with a single button, labeled Help Now, which immediately sends an alert to emergency contacts.
Activist Juan José Gutiérrez, from the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition, denounced that many individuals detained by ICE are denied their right to communicate with an attorney. "Constitutional rights are being violated."
"They have the right to access a lawyer if they request it, and currently, immigration authorities are trampling on that right,” he stated.
Other community leaders, like Gil Cedillo, emphasized that the app provides "peace and protection for families and the community," especially at a time when raids and deportations are on the rise across the country.
For many migrants, "Alma" represents a tool of resistance and organization in the face of uncertainty.
"It is not the total solution to what we are going through, but it is another resource to remain vigilant," said Víctor Galindo, who was arrested in a previous raid and now uses the app as a preventive measure.
The organizations behind "Alma" hope that the tool becomes widely adopted among immigrants, with the aim of ensuring that no one faces detention alone and that fundamental rights are respected during immigration procedures.
In this regard, a developer sued the Trump Administration for pressuring Apple to remove an app that notified users of ICE operations, in a case that reignites the debate over digital freedom and censorship.
The application ICEBlock, designed to alert users about the presence of immigration agents in the United States was removed from the App Store after the Donald Trump administration pressured Apple to take it down.
According to a report by The New York Times, the app's creator, Joshua Aaron, filed a lawsuit against high-ranking officials in the U.S. government, accusing them of coercing Apple and violating his rights to free speech and to create digital tools.
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