‘We should be worried’: report sheds light on ICE’s booming arsenal of hi-tech surveillance tools
Summary
A recent report reveals that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have dramatically increased spending on advanced surveillance technology during President Donald Trump’s current term. The report shows that contracts for tech tools, including AI-powered systems, face recognition, and phone spyware, have reached record levels to track migrants and support border enforcement.Key Facts
- ICE and CBP doubled their spending on surveillance technology from 2024 to 2025, reaching over $310 million.
- In 2026, this spending rose to a record $513 million.
- Contracts have steadily increased since 2013 when spending was under $50 million.
- Major tech companies involved include Palantir (data analytics) and Anduril (AI surveillance tech, drones, and border towers).
- Surveillance tools funded include facial recognition, social media data scraping, phone hacking devices, and autonomous drones.
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) supports innovation by funding startups and research programs that develop new surveillance technologies.
- Programs like the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) have provided $845 million since 2004 to help tech startups create surveillance products.
- There is concern about ICE’s increasing surveillance capacity and limited government oversight.
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