ICE Expands Nationwide Surveillance Infrastructure for Mass Deportations
From Palantir’s ICM to IRS taxpayer data, ICE’s advanced tools target undocumented immigrants with unprecedented reach.
WASHINGTON — ICE has consolidated an array of databases and surveillance technologies to identify, detain, and deport undocumented immigrants. The agency’s use of the Investigative Case Management (ICM) system, alongside data from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Flock Safety’s license plate reader network, and other tools, reflects a sweeping approach to immigration enforcement that has sparked widespread concern over privacy and due process.
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Investigative Case Management (ICM) System
A cornerstone of ICE’s enforcement strategy is the Investigative Case Management (ICM) system, a powerful database developed by Palantir Technologies under a $95.9 million, five-year contract signed in 2022.
Described as the “core law enforcement case management tool” for ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division in a 2021 privacy impact assessment, ICM enables agents to filter individuals using hundreds of specific categories, including resident status, entry status (e.g., “refugee,” “undocumented alien”), physical characteristics like tattoos, criminal affiliations, location data, license plate reader data, and personal details such as hair color, race, and Social Security numbers.
According to a report by 404 Media, which reviewed parts of the ICM infrastructure, the system can generate detailed reports, such as identifying individuals with specific visa types from certain countries or ports of entry.
ICE began using ICM in 2016, with its capabilities expanding significantly over the years. The system connects to other federal databases, including the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) for student visa holders, the FALCON search tool, and real-time maps tied to ICE’s location tracking systems. It also incorporates data from the FBI, ATF, DEA, and CIA, as noted in a 2016 privacy impact assessment.
ICM’s “Person Lookout Query” feature allows agents to receive email alerts when individuals trigger specific search parameters, enabling real-time tracking. Privacy experts, including Jeramie Scott of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, warn that ICM’s vast data integration risks mischaracterizing individuals as enforcement targets, potentially leading to wrongful detentions.
The system’s use has been linked to recent deportations of college students, tourists, and Green Card holders for minor infractions, such as speeding tickets, with at least 238 individuals sent to a mega prison in El Salvador without due process, according to a 60 Minutes investigation.
IRS Data-Sharing Initiative
In April, ICE secured a memorandum of understanding with the IRS, allowing access to taxpayer data to locate undocumented immigrants with removal orders or under criminal investigation, as reported by Migrant Insider.
The agreement marks a shift from the IRS’s previous stance of protecting taxpayer information, including that of undocumented immigrants using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs).
The policy has prompted resignations from senior IRS officials and faced legal challenges from immigrant rights groups, who argue it violates privacy laws. A federal judge declined to block the agreement, with further hearings scheduled.
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ORR’s Role in Tracking Migrant Children
ICE has accessed data from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, to track unaccompanied migrant children and their sponsors.
ORR implemented stricter sponsor vetting rules, including DNA checks and income verification, which critics say deter sponsors due to deportation fears.
ICE began using ORR data to identify individuals with removal orders, a shift reported by NOTUS. Former ORR staff have criticized the agency’s pivot toward enforcement, arguing it undermines its child welfare mission.
Flock Safety’s License Plate Readers
ICE has integrated Flock Safety’s automatic license plate reader (ALPR) network, which spans over 5,000 communities, into its operations.
As reported by 404 Media, local police departments using Flock’s AI-enabled cameras conduct lookups for ICE, enabling real-time tracking of vehicles.
This collaboration has raised alarms among privacy advocates, who warn of mass surveillance without judicial oversight.
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Additional Tools and Databases
ICE’s enforcement efforts extend to other systems, including the Department of Homeland Security’s Notices to Appear (NTA) records, which provide geographic data on immigrants’ residences.
ICE has issued NTAs at a rate surpassing the previous fiscal year, with 32,809 enforcement arrests in the first 50 days of Trump’s presidency.
The CBP Home app now includes a self-deportation feature requiring biometric data submission, with mandatory registration via USCIS’s Form G-325R.
ICE has also deputized agents from the FBI, ATF, DEA, and IRS Criminal Investigation to assist in enforcement under the Immigration and Nationality Act’s 287(g) provision.
Huge Legal and Ethical Concerns
The expanded use of these tools has drawn sharp criticism. Lawsuits challenge the IRS-ICE agreement, while privacy advocates highlight ICM’s potential for misuse, noting its ability to flag individuals for minor or non-criminal activities.
The system’s reliance on vast datasets increases the risk of false positives, with a 2016 privacy impact assessment acknowledging inaccuracies in data.
Experts warn that repurposing data for immigration enforcement violates privacy principles, citing historical abuses like the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942.
The deportation of individuals based on tattoos or minor infractions, including a mistaken deportation to El Salvador, underscores these concerns.
Critics also argue the approach erodes trust in federal institutions and risks long-term harm to immigrant communities, while the administration insists all actions comply with federal law.
As ICE continues to leverage these advanced tools, the debate over their legality, ethics, and impact on both immigrants and U.S. citizens intensifies, with calls for greater transparency into the mechanisms driving enforcement actions.