The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General is investigating potential privacy abuses associated with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s surveillance and biometric data programs, according to a letter sent to two senators.
Last week, we reported that Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine demanded that DHS inspector general Joseph Cuffari investigate immigration-related surveillance programs across DHS, Customs and Border Protection, and ICE. Thursday, Cuffari said his office had launched an audit called “DHS’ Security of Biometric Data and Personally Identifiable Information.”
“The objective of the audit is to determine how DHS and its components collect or obtain PII and biometric data related to immigration enforcement efforts and the extent to which that data is managed, shared, and secured in accordance with law, regulation, and Departmental policy,” Cuffari’s letter reads. He adds that one of the purposes of the investigation will be to “determine whether they have led to violations of federal law and other regulations that maintain privacy and defend against unlawful searches.”
Kaine and Warner’s initial letter specifically focused on many of the technologies and programs 404 Media has been reporting on, including DHS’s contracts with Palantir, facial recognition company Clearview AI, its side-door access to Flock’s license plate scanning technology, its social media monitoring through a company called Penlink, its phone hacking contract through a company called Paragon, its face-scanning mobile app, as well as its use of various government biometric databases in immigration enforcement.
“DHS’ reported disregard for adhering to the law and its proven ambivalence toward observing and upholding constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms of Americans and noncitizens, including freedom of speech and equal protection under the law, leaves us with little confidence that these new and powerful tools are being used responsibly,” the senators wrote. “Coupled with DHS’ propensity to detain people regardless of their circumstances, it is reasonable to question whether DHS can be trusted with powerful surveillance tools and if in doing so, DHS is subjecting Americans to surveillance under the pretext of immigration enforcement.”
