Inside ICE’s High-Tech Tools for Deportation Operations
In recent years, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has significantly expanded its technological capabilities to enhance its deportation efforts. This expansion includes the adoption of advanced surveillance tools, data analytics platforms, and mobile applications, raising concerns about privacy and civil liberties.
Facial Recognition Technology
ICE has integrated facial recognition technology into its operations, notably through contracts with Clearview AI. Clearview AI’s system allows for the identification of individuals by matching their images against a vast database of photos scraped from the internet. In January 2026, ICE signed a $3.75 million contract with Clearview AI to support its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit. This technology is intended to assist in identifying victims and offenders in cases involving child sexual exploitation and assaults against law enforcement officers. This contract follows previous agreements, including a $1.1 million purchase in September 2024 for forensic software and nearly $800,000 in 2023 for facial recognition enterprise licenses.
Additionally, ICE utilizes a facial recognition application called Mobile Fortify. This app enables federal agents to identify individuals in real-time by scanning their driver’s license photos against a database of 200 million images, many sourced from state driver’s license databases. The use of such expansive databases has sparked debates over privacy and the potential for misuse.
Cell-Site Simulators
ICE employs cell-site simulators, commonly known as stingrays, to monitor and track mobile phones. These devices mimic legitimate cell towers, compelling nearby phones to connect and thereby allowing agents to locate and identify devices within a specific area. In some cases, these simulators can intercept calls, text messages, and internet traffic.
Between 2024 and 2025, ICE awarded contracts totaling over $1.5 million to TechOps Specialty Vehicles (TOSV) for the provision of vehicles equipped with cell-site simulators. A notable contract in May 2025, valued at more than $800,000, specified the delivery of Cell Site Simulator (CSS) Vehicles to support the Homeland Security Technical Operations program. TOSV integrates these simulators into their vehicles but does not manufacture the devices themselves.
The deployment of cell-site simulators has been contentious due to their capability to indiscriminately collect data from all nearby mobile devices, including those of innocent individuals. There have been instances where authorities used these devices without obtaining warrants, leading to legal challenges and concerns over violations of the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Data Analytics and Public Records
ICE leverages data analytics platforms to process vast amounts of information for investigative purposes. One such platform is Palantir’s Investigative Case Management (ICM) system. Documents from 2017 revealed that ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) unit used ICM to build profiles of immigrant children and their family members, facilitating arrests and deportations. This contradicts Palantir’s earlier statements that its software was not used for deportation operations, raising questions about transparency and corporate accountability.
Furthermore, ICE has a longstanding relationship with LexisNexis, a provider of legal research and public records databases. In 2022, it was reported that ICE conducted over 1.2 million searches using LexisNexis’s Accurint Virtual Crime Center over a seven-month period. This tool was used to check the background information of migrants, enabling ICE to detect suspicious activity and investigate individuals before any crime was committed. Critics argue that this constitutes mass surveillance and raises ethical concerns about preemptive investigations.
Mobile Applications and Public Response
The public has responded to ICE’s technological advancements by developing mobile applications aimed at monitoring and reporting ICE activities. One such app, ICEBlock, allowed users to anonymously report sightings of ICE agents within a five-mile radius and share details about their appearance. In July 2025, following criticism from U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, ICEBlock went viral, becoming one of the most downloaded free iPhone apps in the United States. However, by October 2025, Apple removed ICEBlock and similar tracking apps from the App Store after pressure from the Trump administration, citing safety risks associated with these applications.
Phone Hacking and Spyware
ICE has also invested in phone-hacking technologies to extract data from mobile devices. In September 2025, ICE’s HSI unit signed a $3 million contract with Magnet Forensics for software licenses, likely for the GrayKey device. GrayKey is a forensic tool capable of unlocking smartphones and extracting data, which can be crucial in investigations. The use of such technology underscores ICE’s commitment to accessing digital evidence but also raises concerns about privacy and the potential for overreach.
Additionally, in September 2024, ICE signed a $2 million contract with Israeli spyware maker Paragon Solutions. The contract was initially put under review by the Biden administration to ensure compliance with an executive order on the government’s use of commercial spyware. However, by September 2025, the contract was reactivated, indicating ICE’s continued interest in advanced surveillance tools.
Conclusion
ICE’s adoption of advanced technologies reflects a strategic effort to enhance its deportation operations. While these tools can improve efficiency and effectiveness, they also pose significant challenges related to privacy, civil liberties, and ethical considerations. The balance between national security and individual rights remains a contentious issue, necessitating ongoing public discourse and oversight.
