Alastair McClymont
Last week Indian Newslink reported on its Web Edition and Social Media on allegations that Immigration New Zealand (INZ) were using a tool that would racially profile people for early deportation.
The Minister of Immigration has now suspended the Pilot Programme subject to further investigation.
I have now been able to read INZ’s explanation for what was reported in the media and I have seen the tool that have been piloting, which is little more than an Excel Spreadsheet.
Racial Content
The government denies that there is racial profiling but the Spreadsheet that they are using can very clearly be used for racial profiling.
By giving different weights to different factors, it is possible to identify the racial profile, or nationality, of the applicant.
Immigration New Zealand also admit, in their briefing to the Minister, that those people who are at risk of being victims of immigration harm are “targeted for early intervention”.
Yes, rather than deal with problems of exploitation, just target for deportation someone who might sometime in the future be a victim who has been exploited.
‘Harm Score’
Now, this tool then allocates a harm score to a person where someone gets points for making too many applications, to having a certain visa type, their age and a number of other factors. If the tool uses current visa types, then it can clearly be used to predict future risk to the immigration system.
So, any Visa Officer assessing the application will look at the applicant’s name and nationality, then look at the harm score that the system gives them.
And a Visa Officer is really going to have an open mind to that application?
Of course not, they have been told by the computer that Mr Singh is a risk to our Immigration system and “early intervention is required.”
No mixed signals there, no doubt what the application decision should be.
That, is racial profiling.
Alastair McClymont is an Immigration Law Specialist based in Auckland.
