Expect shift in US border strategy to pay dividends for biometrics, surveillance tech providers

The expansion of technological tools in immigration enforcement represents a dramatic shift in how the United States government approaches border security and the management of undocumented populations. Agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have amassed an arsenal of cutting-edge technologies that include real-time tracking devices, data analytics systems, and biometric tools.
These advancements have not only reshaped the operational landscape of immigration enforcement, but they have also raised significant concerns about privacy, civil liberties, and the ethical implications of mass surveillance.
This arsenal is unprecedented in scope. A detailed review by the New York Times of nearly 15,000 federal contracts revealed that since 2020, the federal government has spent $7.8 billion on immigration technologies, partnering with 263 companies to develop and deploy these tools.
The contracts encompass a wide array of technologies, from mundane administrative software to sophisticated systems capable of extracting data from locked phones, conducting rapid DNA tests, and tracking individuals through GPS-enabled devices. Among the most notable contractors are Palantir Technologies, Cellebrite, Geo Group, and Clearview AI, each of which has carved out a significant role in the evolving ecosystem of immigration enforcement.
One notable example is the five-year, $97 million contract ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) awarded earlier this month to GovCIO to lead its Analytic and Program Management Support Services contract. This initiative aims to enhance ICE’s data analytics capabilities, facilitating more efficient processing and analysis of information related to immigration enforcement operations.
Under the award, GovCIO will provide data analytics, reporting, communications and program management support to assist multiple units within ERO to enhance data visibility and availability for mission officers throughout the immigration processes. Support will include capacity planning, reporting, data analysis, facility compliance, financial analysis, quality assurance, process optimization, strategic communications and workforce management.
Palantir, co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel, who was an early backer of Clearview AI, has become a cornerstone of ICE’s technological strategy. Its data analysis platform, Palantir Gotham, aggregates and processes vast amounts of information to identify patterns, connections, and actionable insights.
Over the past four years, Palantir has received over $1 billion in government contracts, reflecting the central role its technology plays in enforcement operations. Similarly, Cellebrite, an Israeli digital forensics company, has supplied ICE with tools capable of extracting data from smartphones, hard drives, and other digital devices. These tools, which have cost the government approximately $54 million, are instrumental in investigations ranging from drug trafficking to human smuggling.
The Geo Group, primarily known for operating private detention facilities, has also expanded its portfolio to include electronic monitoring solutions. Through its subsidiary, BI Incorporated, the company provides ankle monitors and mobile applications designed to track the movements of individuals awaiting immigration proceedings.
Currently, over 180,000 individuals are enrolled in this program, known as Alternatives to Detention, which relies on GPS-enabled devices and check-ins via a smartphone app called SmartLink. This program has grown substantially under the Biden administration and serves as a cost-effective alternative to physical detention, although it has faced criticism for imposing invasive surveillance measures on vulnerable populations.
The use of location data is another area of rapid development. Venntel, a company specializing in geolocation services, has signed multiple contracts with ICE to provide data that maps individuals’ movements. This information has been used in enforcement operations, including a high-profile raid on a Mississippi chicken processing plant in 2019 where location data helped agents detain approximately 680 undocumented immigrants. The ability to triangulate individuals’ locations through a combination of cell phone data, license plate readers, and utility records has proven to be a powerful tool, albeit one fraught with concerns about accuracy and potential misuse.
Beyond tracking and data extraction, biometric technology has become a cornerstone of immigration enforcement. DNA testing kits, which can quickly verify familial relationships, are increasingly used to ensure that individuals crossing the border with children are indeed related. Meanwhile, facial recognition software, such as that provided by Clearview AI, enables agents to match individuals against a database of millions of images, including those sourced from social media and public records. Clearview AI’s controversial technology, which has been criticized for privacy violations, has nonetheless secured contracts with the federal government worth nearly $9 million.
The sheer scale of data collection has raised alarms among privacy advocates. The American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations have criticized the government’s growing reliance on surveillance technologies, arguing that they disproportionately target marginalized communities and erode civil liberties.
A 2022 study by Georgetown University’s Center on Privacy & Technology highlighted the extent to which ICE and other agencies access private databases.
The comprehensive report examined how ICE has developed an extensive surveillance infrastructure that allows the agency to monitor a significant portion of the U.S. population. The study highlights ICE’s access to various data sources, including driver’s license information, utility records, and private databases, often obtained without judicial oversight.
The ethical implications of these practices are profound. Critics argue that the use of digital surveillance tools, such as Babel Street’s data-mining software and Paragon Solutions’ spyware, blurs the line between national security and personal privacy. Babel Street’s technology, for instance, scrapes data from public websites and social media platforms to assess individuals as potential security risks.
In September 2024, ICE entered into a $2 million contract with Paragon, which specializes in extracting data from encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal, providing ICE with enhanced capabilities to monitor communications. The contract encompasses a “fully configured proprietary solution including license, hardware, warranty, maintenance, and training.” While the specific software involved was not disclosed, Paragon’s flagship product, Graphite, extracts data from encrypted messaging applications. While these tools enhance the government’s ability to investigate serious crimes, they also risk infringing on the rights of individuals who have not been accused of any wrongdoing.
On October 8, 2024, ICE issued a stop-work order on the contract to review its compliance with Executive Order 14093, which restricts the U.S. government’s use of commercial spyware that poses significant risks.
The deployment of such technologies has raised substantial privacy and ethical concerns. A 2024 report by Human Rights Watch highlighted that ICE’s contract with Paragon poses significant risks to individual rights. The use of spyware capable of breaching encrypted communications has been criticized for its potential to infringe upon personal privacy and civil liberties.
In December 2024, the Government Accountability Office flagged that several federal law enforcement agencies, including those under DHS, lack essential policies and procedures to address bias and privacy concerns in surveillance and screening technologies. The absence of comprehensive guidelines raises the risk of deepening inequalities within the criminal justice system and underscores the need for robust oversight mechanisms.
The potential for overreach is particularly concerning given the Trump administration’s stated goal of executing large-scale deportation operations. President Trump has pledged to “halt all illegal entry” and “return millions of criminal aliens” to their countries of origin. While the logistical challenges of such an undertaking are immense, the administration’s reliance on technology could make these plans more feasible.
Digital surveillance tools, combined with private databases containing biometrics, addresses, and criminal records, provide a framework for identifying and tracking large numbers of individuals. However, experts caution that the effectiveness of these tools in achieving mass deportations remains unproven, as many were originally designed for targeted investigations rather than broad enforcement actions.
The integration of AI in border surveillance has also prompted discussions about its implications for human rights. The Migration Policy Institute noted in 2022 that civil liberties and privacy groups have raised concerns that the use of AI technologies at U.S. borders, especially systems incorporating facial recognition and the use of drones, could infringe on the human rights of both foreign nationals and U.S. citizens.
Despite these challenges, the demand for immigration enforcement technologies shows no signs of slowing, especially with the Trump administration’s crack down on illegal immigrants. The private sector will continue to play a crucial and profitable role, with companies like Thomson Reuters and LexisNexis providing data access and analytical tools to support government operations.
The stock prices of several key players, including Palantir and Geo Group, have surged in recent months, reflecting investor confidence in the growth of this market. In November, Geo Group’s chief operating officer stated that the company is prepared to “rapidly scale up” its monitoring capabilities to meet the administration’s needs.
The implications of this technological shift extend beyond the United States. Other countries, particularly in Europe, are also investing in similar tools to enforce increasingly restrictive immigration policies. This global trend underscores the need for international dialogue on the ethical use of surveillance technologies and the protection of individual rights.
As the United States continues to grapple with the complexities of immigration policy, the role of technology will remain a focal point of debate. While these tools offer unprecedented capabilities for monitoring and enforcement, they also pose significant risks to privacy and civil liberties. Striking the right balance between security and individual rights will require not only robust oversight and transparency but also a commitment to ethical principles that prioritize the dignity and humanity of all individuals.
Article Topics
biometric identification | biometrics | border security | CBP | DHS | ICE | U.S. Government
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