Facial recognition without consent ICE also monitors US citizens without their knowledge - senators sound the alarm
The combination of facial recognition, location data and AI-supported analysis gives ICE unimagined surveillance possibilities. Democrats and civil rights groups are concerned.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- The US immigration agency ICE has been criticized for using facial recognition technology on US citizens without consent.
- ICE uses a broad surveillance arsenal with various technologies.
- Civil rights groups and Democratic senators are calling for restrictions.
Not a day goes by without the US immigration authority ICE in Minneapolis generating headlines. The latest chapter: the use of modern surveillance technology is meeting with growing criticism. This has been triggered by several incidents in which US citizens have been recorded using facial recognition without their consent, as reported by the New York Times.
One particularly sensational case concerns activist Nicole Cleland. She was recognized by an ICE agent and addressed by name - even though she had never met him before. The officer explained that he was using facial recognition and was wearing an activated bodycam.
According to activist groups, at least seven US citizens have been affected. Videos show ICE agents scanning protesters with cell phones. Those affected had not consented to their biometric data being collected.
Democrats call for measures
ICE uses several technologies: Facial recognition from Clearview AI and the mobile app "Mobile Fortify", plus location data, social media monitoring and databases from Palantir. The aim is not only to identify migrants, but also to monitor protesters.
Civil rights organizations are therefore sounding the alarm. The combination of these tools gives the state unprecedented surveillance power, criticizes the American Civil Liberties Union. Several Democratic senators are therefore calling for the suspension of facial recognition in US cities.
28 billion dollars a year for ICE
The massive expansion of technology was made possible by a drastic increase in the budget. ICE now has around 28 billion dollars a year at its disposal. Palantir alone received a contract worth almost 30 million dollars for AI-supported search systems.
The incident had real consequences for Nicole Cleland: Shortly after the encounter, the Department of Homeland Security revoked her travel privileges without explanation, such as Global Entry - a US program for pre-screened, low-risk travelers that allows faster entry into the US.
