Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 9 killed near the American aid center in the al-Shakoush area, northwest of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip
Hamas: The Resistance’s resilience and evolving tactics continue to disrupt the enemy’s calculations and seize the initiative
Hamas: The occupation’s mounting failures in Gaza reflect its broader failure on every level
Araghchi: If Europeans want to play a role, they must act responsibly and abandon the outdated policy of threats and pressure
Araghchi: It was America that withdrew from the negotiating table in June this year and chose the military option, not Iran
Araghchi: It was America that withdrew from the [nuclear] agreement, which was reached over two years ago with the coordination of the European Union in 2015, not Iran
Iranian Foreign Minister: No new round of negotiations will be possible unless the other side is ready for a fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial nuclear agreement
Russian Foreign Ministry: Moscow warns Japan as Tokyo deliberately escalates rhetoric over imaginary Russian threats, cautioning such a line carries risks
Russian Foreign Ministry: Russia will respond if new threats are identified in Japan's missile defense approach
Israeli media: An exceptional incident occured in Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip

US immigration agency surveilling millions of people: Report

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 21 May 2022 19:02
4 Min Read

A published report reveals that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement can secretly access data of up to three out of four people in the US through facial recognition.

  • x
  • The Georgetown Law's Center for Privacy report found that ICE
    The Georgetown Law's Center for Privacy report found that ICE "operates as a domestic surveillance agency."

A report dubbed "American Dragnet: Data-Driven Deportation in the 21st Century" revealed that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has a "dragnet surveillance system" that enables it to access the information of millions of people in the US.

The Georgetown Law's Center for Privacy report found that ICE "operates as a domestic surveillance agency."

Conducted by researchers Nina Wang, Allison McDonald, Daniel Bateyko, and Emily Tucker, the two-year investigation said that since its founding in 2003, ICE has "not only been building its own capacity to use surveillance to carry out deportations, but has also played a key role in the federal government's larger push to amass as much information as possible about all of our lives."

ICE can access data of up to 3 out of 4 people 

The published report revealed that ICE can access data of up to three out of four people in the US through facial recognition data from motor vehicle departments and geolocation data by some private companies and police.

In 2019, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU) revealed that "Over 80 local law enforcement agencies, from over a dozen states, have agreed to share license plate location information with ICE. Emails show local police handing driver information over to ICE informally, violating local law and ICE policies."

The researchers reviewed 100,000 contracts signed by ICE between 2008-2021 and found that the agency spent $2.8 billion on new surveillance, data collection, and data-sharing initiatives.

Related News

Calls grow to remove Netanyahu from high school Hall of Fame

Congress set to weaken oversight on foreign US arms sales

Crossing legal and ethical lines

ICE began secretly using facial recognition technology in 2008 in order to access data from Rhode Island's motor vehicle department in search of people.

According to the report, the agency has "built its dragnet surveillance system by crossing legal and ethical lines, leveraging the trust that people place in state agencies and essential service providers, and exploiting the vulnerability of people who volunteer their information to reunite with their families."

The researchers highlighted that ICE can breach people's trust and secretly access the information of "undocumented" people applying for driver's licenses in 16 states and Washington D.C.

"When undocumented drivers apply for licenses, they place a significant amount of trust in the state that their information will not be used against them," the report explained, adding that ICE can "warrantlessly search through state driver records for the purpose of civil immigration enforcement."

Using minors to target unauthorized people

In addition, the researchers said that ICE used unaccompanied minors coming from Mexico to target family members that are not authorized to be in the US.

The report read that "Despite the incredible scope and evident civil rights implications of ICE's surveillance practices, the agency has managed to shroud those practices in near-total secrecy, evading enforcement of even the handful of laws and policies that could be invoked to impose limitations."

In response, an ICE spokesperson claimed that "Like other law enforcement agencies, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employs various forms of technology to investigate violations of the law, while appropriately respecting civil liberties and privacy interests."

"ICE focuses its civil immigration enforcement activities on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and border security," she added.

No congressional hearing to date

The report pointed out that the agency's expanding surveillance efforts remained secret, and have "regularly flown under Congress' radar."

The researchers underscored that "While a few political leaders have pressed ICE in oversight letters and used appropriations riders to end the most aggressive of ICE's actions, to date there has not been one full congressional hearing or Government Accountability Office report focused on ICE surveillance."

  • United States
  • Congress
  • Washington
  • US
  • American Civil Liberties Union

Most Read

Algerian nurse stabbed in Germany

Murder of Algerian nurse in Germany sparks outcry, demands for justice

  • Europe
  • 14 Jul 2025
Credible reports, including some from Israeli media itself, indicate that Tel Aviv had pinned its hopes on what can only be described as a delusional plan. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Jebraily: Iran strikes rewrote regional deterrence rules - Exclusive

  • MENA
  • 15 Jul 2025
Al-Qassam Brigades fighters confront Israeli soldiers in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

3 Israeli soldiers killed amid Gaza battles: Israeli media

  • Palestine
  • 14 Jul 2025
Al Mayadeen: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned

Exclusive: UN Palestine Inquiry members reportedly resigned

  • Politics
  • 15 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
George Abdallah: Europe's longest-held political prisoner to be freed
Politics

Georges Abdallah: Europe's longest-held political prisoner to be freed

A still from the video released by al-Qassam Brigades, which reads, "Captivity is better than death", on July 17, 2025 (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)
Politics

Al-Qassam releases video warning Israelis: Captivity better than death

Georges Abdallah attends his trial in Lyon on July 3, 1986 (Social Media)
Politics

'A symbol for every prisoner': Hezbollah hails Georges Abdallah

Plume of smoke rise following an Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese town of Qabrikha, July 17, 2025 (Social media)
Politics

'Israel' kills mother, father, injures 10-year-old daughter in Lebanon

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS