Rights Groups Demand ICE Suspend Use of Controversial Handheld Facial Recognition App
WASHINGTON D.C. – A coalition of civil liberties, privacy, and civil rights organizations are calling for an immediate halt to the use of “Mobile Fortify,” a new facial recognition technology (FRT) app deployed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The groups argue the app poses a notable threat to the rights of both migrants and U.S. citizens, and are demanding greater openness from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding its use and potential impact.
The demand, outlined in a letter sent by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and the Project on Government Oversight, centers on concerns about the app’s non-consensual nature and potential for misidentification. According to the letter, ICE dose not offer individuals the option to opt-out of being scanned, and agents appear to be granting significant weight to FRT matches, even when conflicting evidence exists.
“Using face identification as a definitive determination of immigration status is immensely disturbing,” the organizations wrote,”and ICE’s cavalier use of facial recognition will undoubtedly lead to wrongful detentions,deportations,or worse.” They cite at least one reported instance of a U.S. citizen being flagged for potential deportation based on a flawed biometric match.
Further fueling concerns, Mobile Fortify accesses a broad range of government databases. Reports suggest the technology may already be used to target individuals participating in First Amendment-protected activities, such as protests. Despite these risks, ICE reportedly determined a new Privacy Impact Assessment – standard procedure for new data-collecting technologies – was needless.
This isn’t the first time EFF has raised alarms about mobile FRT used by ICE. In 2013, the organization identified the distribution of face recognition-equipped phones to law enforcement in the San Diego region, including federal immigration officers.A subsequent law passed in 2019, championed by EFF, temporarily banned the collection of biometric data via mobile devices, leading to the program’s suspension.
“We fought against handheld FRT then, and we will fight it again today,” a spokesperson for EFF stated.
The coalition is urging DHS to immediately suspend the use of Mobile Fortify, release its privacy analyses of the app, and clarify its overall policy on facial recognition technology. The groups argue that without these measures, the app represents a perilous escalation in surveillance and a serious threat to essential rights.
Resources:
* Coalition Letter on ICE Mobile Fortify FRT
