In Phoenix, Arizona, citizens have taken it upon themselves to bring transparency and accountability to the operations of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A volunteer network led by People First Project monitors local ICE activity and, within minutes, can warn communities of imminent raids. “People won’t remember exactly the impact we had on communities in this time, but the families will remember,” founder Clarissa Vela stated to ABC15. Although ICE did not comment on the influence of these tracking networks, the rapid spread of such groups reflects a growing concern over law enforcement surveillance and community impact.
Parallel to ICE’s increased presence on the streets, the U.S. Border Patrol is running an extensive program to monitor drivers across the nation. Using an array of cameras and predictive analytics, the Border Patrol tracks vehicle license plates and flags patterns deemed ‘suspicious,’ often resulting in stops and searches far from border areas. According to an investigation by The Associated Press, this practice has been intensified by collaborations with various agencies, enhancing the network’s reach and sophistication, despite raising significant constitutional concerns.
In one incident reported by the AP, Lorenzo Gutierrez Lugo, a driver for a trucking company, was stopped by a local police officer in Kingsville, Texas. The stop, ostensibly for a minor speeding violation, was instigated by Border Patrol, who suspected the vehicle might contain contraband. Based on data captured by license plate readers, Gutierrez Lugo was questioned and consented to a vehicle search, which implies the depth and influence of the surveillance measures currently employed…