Federal agency expands use of surveillance and AI-based monitoring tools
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is deploying advanced technology to strengthen its ability to identify and monitor individuals within the country. The new tools include mobile applications that allow federal agents to scan a person’s face through a phone camera to confirm identity and immigration status in the field.
Recent developments also involve iris scanning systems and software capable of accessing large amounts of location-based data. According to publicly available information from the company behind the technology, these tools can assist agents in locating individuals across various regions.
In addition, ICE has reinstated a contract with a firm that produces spyware capable of extracting data from mobile devices. The agency is also expanding its social media monitoring capabilities through artificial intelligence-driven software.
Digital surveillance and immigration enforcement strategies
ICE is considering the creation of round-the-clock contractor teams dedicated to analyzing databases and online platforms such as Facebook and TikTok to compile user profiles relevant to immigration enforcement.
The federal government aims to enhance its immigration control mechanisms by integrating advanced surveillance systems. Among the stated goals is increasing annual deportations, a target that could be supported by the adoption of these new identification and tracking technologies.
