ICE Buying Millions in Spyware – Reportedly to Use on Americans

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has signed a slew of contracts for surveillance software in recent weeks, including facial recognition and remote hacking technology that could be used against American citizens.

The agency, which reported $1.4 billion in contract obligations in September, had previously wielded an advanced technological arm, signing technology contracts that were designed explicitly for the purpose of immigration enforcement.

But after President Donald Trump’s executive order designating Antifa a domestic terrorist organization, new surveillance purchased by ICE could now be wielded against the general population.

An exhaustive report by The Washing Post detailed the sheer volume of new technology the agency has acquired since the order was issued.

In one contract that ICE signed last month for Clearview AI facial recognition software, the agency said in a filing that it would be used to investigate “assaults against law enforcement officers.” Other federal contracts show ICE has been expanding its fleet of small, remote-controlled drones, which it has said it is using to film protesters.

In early October, ICE also informed prospective vendors that it planned to set up a new social media monitoring hub to trawl platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok to collect information on targets. The document identifies undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes as the primary focus but also deems domestic terrorism a top priority and says the contractor must be “flexible [about] shifting priorities.”

Other software purchased by the agency includes $4.6 million for an iris-scanning smartphone application and $2 million for tracking individual’s locations without a warrant.

“I’m extremely concerned about how ICE will use spyware, facial recognition and other technology to further trample on the rights of Americans and anyone who Donald Trump labels as an enemy,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) told The Post.

The agency has received a massive uptick in funding since July, when Congress passed a spending bill that allocated $170 billion to ICE.

An ICE spokesperson told the post that “like other law enforcement agencies, ICE employs various forms of technology to investigate criminal activity, while respecting civil liberties and privacy.”

There have been numerous reports of ICE wrongfully detaining or injuring American citizens, as the agency continues to maintain a presence in many US cities.