The Trump administration has access to a wide-ranging technology arsenal to crack down on illegal immigration and carry out the largest deportation operation in American history. Nearly $7.8 billion has been spent on immigration technologies by agencies such as ICE and CIS since 2020, including tools for tracking asylum seekers in real time, DNA testing to verify family relationships, biometric comparisons, license plate readers, and data analysis from phones and other devices.
Many of these tools were used by the Biden administration for immigration enforcement, but how President Trump will utilize them remains to be seen. The administration may rely on digital surveillance tools such as ankle monitors with GPS tracking devices and private databases with biometrics and criminal records. Location data collected through these tools has been used in ICE raids, and private companies like Palantir and Cellebrite have received substantial contracts for storing and analyzing data and providing investigative tools.
The Trump administration is expected to escalate the use of surveillance technology to track and control individuals without legal status, particularly in light of plans to scale up detention efforts. While concerns about privacy and civil liberties have been raised, the administration has access to a trove of data through private databases, driver’s license records, and software that can overcome passcodes and analyze email inboxes.
Critics have questioned how much of this technology will be used for widespread deportations rather than targeted investigations, but one thing is clear – tech companies stand to profit significantly from the increased demand for immigration enforcement tools. The administration’s use of these technologies will likely be a key component of its efforts to secure the country’s borders and enforce immigration laws.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
