Part of an accelerated trend to integrate algorithms in immigration decision-making, the UK's EU Settlement Scheme relies on automated data checks as an essential and mandatory step in the application for UK residence. In this article, I engage with the literature on datafication and algorithmic accuracy to showcase algorithmic inaccuracy within borders in regard to the allocation of residence statuses and rights. I argue that, while the EUSS uses big data to create a data double of the ‘desirable’ migrant, even applicants within this category experience mismatches. Some EU+ Citizens on linear residence and career trajectories were initially offered pre-settled status and had difficulty proving their entitlement to the full status, while others, who did not qualify for settled status, obtained it nevertheless. The analysis is based on in-depth interviews with high skilled applicants, and experts on the EUSS, exposing that footprints are not evidence per se. Instead, the outcomes are decided by an opaque algorithm that is not retained and disappears as easily as footprints in quicksand.

中文翻译：

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欧盟定居计划：流沙中的足迹

作为将算法融入移民决策的加速趋势的一部分，英国的欧盟定居计划依靠自动数据检查作为申请英国居留权的基本和强制性步骤。在本文中，我研究了有关数据化和算法准确性的文献，以展示边界内关于居住身份和权利分配的算法不准确性。我认为，虽然 EUSS 使用大数据创建“理想”移民的数据替身，但即使是这一类别的申请人也会遇到不匹配的情况。一些具有线性居住和职业轨迹的欧盟+公民最初获得了预先定居身份，但很难证明自己有权获得完整身份，而其他没有资格获得定居身份的公民尽管如此，还是获得了该身份。该分析基于对高技能申请人和 EUSS 专家的深入访谈，表明足迹本身并不是证据。相反，结果是由不透明的算法决定的，该算法不会被保留，并且像流沙中的脚印一样容易消失。