Enrique Tarrio, the previous Proud Boys chairman just lately freed after a Trump pardon, is now making headlines for his newest transfer—rolling out a controversial new internet app that pays folks in cryptocurrency to report undocumented immigrants.
The app, ICERAID.US, lets customers add images and particulars of suspected undocumented people, promising crypto rewards in a token referred to as $RAID. Tarrio, who calls himself the platform’s “czar,” claims it’s all about nationwide safety and serving to ICE perform deportations—although the platform isn’t affiliated with the federal government.
In promotional posts, Tarrio says customers can earn bonuses by means of weekly contests and by submitting extra images and places. He even advised undocumented immigrants might report themselves and probably obtain a reward, though the app’s positive print admits it has no authorized energy to grant anybody immigration standing.
Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years for his function in organizing the Jan. 6 Capitol assault, regardless that he wasn’t bodily in D.C. on the time. Trump granted him a pardon earlier this 12 months. Now, he’s utilizing his platform to encourage non-public residents to behave as enforcers of immigration legislation.
The app arrives simply because the Division of Homeland Safety launched its personal marketing campaign urging folks to report undocumented people, full with vintage-style posters. Immigrant rights teams warn that these initiatives might result in false experiences and harassment, particularly in workplaces and neighborhoods.
Nonetheless, Tarrio appears decided to push ICERAID prefer it’s the following large factor. On a latest podcast, he even joked that the app is “like Pokémon Go, however for unlawful immigrants,” hinting at plans for a tagline much like “Gotta catch ’em all.”
Tarrio’s reemergence is a part of a broader authorized and political play. Simply final week, he and 4 different Proud Boys filed a $100 million lawsuit towards the DOJ and FBI, claiming political persecution within the Jan. 6 prosecutions.
Now a free man, Tarrio seems to be constructing a digital ecosystem for vigilantism—and he’s paying folks to take part.
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