🛂 ICE Surveillance Technology in 2026: The Tools, the Data and Your Rights

What surveillance technology does ICE use in 2026?

ICE surveillance tools and data sources, status as of 16 October 2026. "Reported" means news reporting or advocacy, not an official record.

What is Mobile Fortify, and can you refuse a face scan?

It is a phone app that identifies people by their face or fingerprints on the spot. 404 Media first reported its use inside the U.S. in June 2025, from leaked ICE emails 404 Media (26 Jun 2025). Officers can "run their face against a bank of 200 million images". A match can show a name, date of birth, nationality and whether a judge has ordered deportation 404 Media (17 Jul 2025).

How it works. According to DHS's Privacy Threshold Analysis, officers photograph a person and search CBP's Traveler Verification Service. If there is no match, they capture contactless fingerprints and search DHS's biometric system Biometric Update, on DHS's PTA (17 Dec 2025). CBP says the matching vendor is NEC AP via PBS NewsHour (30 Jan 2026).

Can you say no? DHS's own document says no: "ICE does not provide the opportunity for individuals to decline or consent to the collection" Biometric Update, on DHS's PTA (17 Dec 2025). Every encounter, match or not, is stored in CBP's Automated Targeting System for fifteen years Biometric Update, on DHS's PTA (17 Dec 2025), including photos of U.S. citizens 404 Media (31 Oct 2025). We found no authoritative source describing a lawful way to refuse a scan.

Accuracy and oversight.

• A CBP official's testimony says the app returned "two different and incorrect names" for one woman detained in Oregon 404 Media (19 Jan 2026).
• No separate Privacy Impact Assessment has been published; ICE points to a 2019 assessment of an older database Biometric Update, on DHS's PTA (17 Dec 2025).
• DHS says the app "operates with a deliberately high-matching threshold" AP via PBS NewsHour (30 Jan 2026).
• Illinois and Chicago sued on 12 January 2026, alleging DHS "used it more than 100,000 times nationwide" Biometric Update (13 Jan 2026). These are allegations, not findings.
• Senators Wyden, Merkley and Markey asked ICE to stop using it Sen. Wyden (11 Sep 2025). Rep. Bennie Thompson introduced a bill to limit such apps to ports of entry and destroy images of citizens House Homeland Security Democrats (15 Jan 2026). Just Futures Law and others have sued for the records Just Futures Law (23 Jun 2026).
• In June 2026 DHS planned a version for local officers deputised under 287(g) agreements, which could reach "more than 1,000" agencies Biometric Update (18 Jun 2026).

What does Palantir do for ICE?

Palantir runs ICE's investigative case system and is building ImmigrationOS on top of it.

• ICM. Palantir's Investigative Case Management is "HSI's System of Record". Its 2022 renewal was "worth $95.9M over a five-year period" Palantir via Business Wire (26 Sep 2022).
• ImmigrationOS. In April 2025 ICE gave Palantir a $29.9 million sole-source deal. The stated priorities included "targeting and enforcement prioritization" and "real-time visibility into instances of self-deportation" The Register (21 Apr 2025). A further $29.9 million task order followed on 25 September 2025 ExecutiveGov (15 Oct 2025).
• ELITE. 404 Media reported in January 2026 that this Palantir tool "populates a map with potential deportation targets". It gives a "confidence score" on a person's address, using addresses partly from the Department of Health and Human Services 404 Media (15 Jan 2026). Palantir replied that ELITE surfaces "the likely addresses of specific individuals" and that it is "not facilitating widespread and unfettered data sharing" Palantir blog (27 Jan 2026).
• Medicaid data. In July 2026 court filings showed ICE had shared a Medicaid dataset with Palantir that it was not supposed to have. Palantir said "the dataset in question was purged pursuant to government instruction" NPR via Connecticut Public (17 Jul 2026).
• More data coming. ICE plans to pay LexisNexis "millions more dollars" for data it can "feed into a Palantir platform" 404 Media (10 Aug 2026).

Does ICE monitor social media?

Yes, through bought tools and contractors.

• Contractor analysts. A DHS procurement forecast describes a $20–50 million contract for "Lead Development and Open-Source Intelligence Analysis" at ICE's targeting centre in Williston, Vermont. The work includes analysing "commercial, law enforcement, open-source, and social media data" to obtain "person-specific information" DHS acquisition forecast F2026072396 (republished 9 Jan 2026). Earlier plans named Facebook, Instagram and X, and targets' "associates" VTDigger (6 Oct 2025).
• Zignal Labs. A "$5.7 million contract for AI-driven social media surveillance software" over five years, through the reseller Carahsoft The Lever (23 Oct 2025).
• Penlink Tangles and Fivecast. EFF reports ICE spent $5 million on Penlink's Tangles and Webloc and $4.2 million with Fivecast EFF (7 Jan 2026). We could not see the contract records ourselves.
• ShadowDragon. A leaked list showed this ICE contractor pulls from more than 200 sites, letting clients "map out a person's activity, movements, and relationships" 404 Media (12 Mar 2025).

Public posts are the input. If you post about protests or ICE activity, assume your public profile, followers and photos can be collected. Our doxxing prevention guide covers locking down accounts.

Can ICE track phones or break into them?

The record shows purchases of location data, spyware, fake cell towers and phone-unlocking tools.

• Location data without a warrant. In a letter to DHS's Inspector General, 72 members of Congress wrote: "ICE recently resumed buying Americans' location data from a shady data broker". They said "ICE issued a no-bid contract to the surveillance company Penlink in 2025", including licences for its Webloc product Letter from 72 members of Congress to the DHS Inspector General (3 Mar 2026). A 2023 Inspector General audit found ICE, CBP and the Secret Service did not follow DHS privacy policy with such data. Its recommendation that ICE stop until privacy assessments are done is still listed as open DHS OIG-23-61 (29 Sep 2023).
• Spyware. ICE's $2 million contract with Paragon, maker of Graphite, was reactivated on 30 August 2025 TechCrunch (2 Sep 2025). In April 2026 acting director Todd Lyons said he had approved HSI's use of a tool against encrypted messaging in drug-trafficking cases TechCrunch (2 Apr 2026). In May 2026 DHS said "ICE has no relationship with Paragon Solutions" and that the contract was closed out on 20 January; it would "not confirm or deny" other capabilities NPR (22 May 2026).
• Cell-site simulators. These imitate a phone tower to locate phones. ICE bought "Cell Site Simulator (CSS) Vehicles" for $825,000 in May 2025 TechCrunch (7 Oct 2025). Our IMSI-catcher guide explains how they work and what detection can and cannot do.
• Phone unlocking. HSI signed a $3 million contract with Magnet Forensics, maker of GrayKey TechCrunch (18 Sep 2025).

What government and broker data does ICE use, and what have courts said?

Addresses are the main target, and two big sources are now in court.

• IRS. ICE asked for last known addresses for about 1.28 million people; the IRS disclosed 47,289 Congressional Research Service LSB11413 (17 Sep 2026). On 8 September 2026 the D.C. Circuit upheld an injunction barring further sharing except in strict compliance with the tax-privacy law. A Massachusetts court separately bars ICE and DHS from using the data, and that appeal was argued on 7 October 2026 Congressional Research Service LSB11413 (17 Sep 2026).
• Medicaid. In August 2025 Judge Vince Chhabria found CMS "appears to have granted ICE unfettered access" Healthcare IT News (18 Aug 2025). In December 2025 he allowed basic identity and address data on people unlawfully present to be shared, but not medical histories Lynnwood Times (30 Dec 2025). Sharing was paused again in May 2026 after officials admitted improper sharing NPR via Connecticut Public (17 Jul 2026). In September 2026 he was still settling which noncitizens are covered Courthouse News (3 Sep 2026).
• Driver records. Lawmakers say 41 states share licence photos through the Nlets network, with about 290,000 ICE queries in the year to 1 October 2025 Nextgov/FCW (12 Nov 2025).
• Data brokers. ICE paid LexisNexis $4.7 million in 2025 for an investigative database; LexisNexis says it has provided such services "across several administrations" TechCrunch (26 Jan 2026). Our people-search removal guide covers what you can opt out of; law-enforcement databases are usually not covered.

Can ICE use Flock licence-plate cameras?

Not by contract, but through local police. 404 Media found more than 4,000 lookups by local police tied to immigration or done at federal request, giving federal agents "side-door access" 404 Media (27 May 2025). Flock says it has no contract with any DHS agency and that "all ongoing federal pilots have been paused" Flock Safety blog (25 Aug 2025). Our Flock guide and documented ALPR misuse cases cover this in depth.

Are tech companies handing over data about ICE critics?

Some have, under administrative subpoenas that no judge signs. DHS has sent "hundreds of administrative subpoenas" seeking the people behind accounts that criticise ICE or report its activity. "Google, Meta and Reddit have complied with some of the requests" Engadget, citing the New York Times (14 Feb 2026).

• When the ACLU challenged subpoenas in court, DHS withdrew them. One went to Meta about Instagram accounts posting about Los Angeles raids ACLU of Northern California (25 Nov 2025). Another went to Google about a man who had emailed a DHS official ACLU (10 Feb 2026). As a result no court has ruled on the practice; the ACLU of Pennsylvania says DHS is "dodging any kind of court opinion" Pennsylvania Capital-Star (9 Mar 2026).
• Apple removed the ICEBlock app on 2 October 2025 after the Attorney General demanded it MediaPost (4 Mar 2026). In 2026 Apple told Congress the removal was prompted by concerns about "agent safety" MacRumors (29 Sep 2026). The developer's lawsuit, Aaron v. Bondi, had no ruling on the motion to dismiss as of our check EFF case page, Aaron v. Bondi (checked 16 Oct 2026).

If you run an account that posts about ICE, read the platform's law-enforcement policy and assume your sign-up email and phone number can be requested.

How can you protect your phone and your rights?

These steps come from EFF and ACLU guidance. They are not legal advice.

1. Turn off face and fingerprint unlock before a protest or an expected encounter. EFF says "we suggest you turn this functionality off", because a memorised passcode "generally provides a stronger legal footing" EFF Surveillance Self-Defense (reviewed 26 Jun 2026).
2. Use a long passcode and keep the phone encrypted EFF Surveillance Self-Defense (reviewed 26 Jun 2026).
3. Turn the phone off if you don't want it located; airplane mode is not enough EFF Surveillance Self-Defense (reviewed 26 Jun 2026).
4. Use iPhone Lockdown Mode or Android Advanced Protection. Both disable 2G, which cell-site simulators exploit EFF Surveillance Self-Defense (reviewed 26 Jun 2026).
5. Use Signal with disappearing messages EFF Surveillance Self-Defense (reviewed 26 Jun 2026).
6. Refuse consent out loud. If asked for your phone, "tell them that you do not consent to a search of your device" EFF Surveillance Self-Defense (reviewed 26 Jun 2026). The ACLU says agents need a judge-signed warrant to search a phone ACLU (3 Mar 2026).
7. Stay silent and ask for a lawyer. "If asked about your immigration status, you can remain silent" ACLU (3 Sep 2025). EFF says you must say you are invoking the right, not just stay quiet EFF Surveillance Self-Defense (reviewed 26 Jun 2026).
8. Know the documents rule. If you are not a U.S. citizen, "the law may require you to carry with you and provide specific immigration documents". "Never lie or present false documents" ACLU (3 Sep 2025).
9. At home, officers "cannot enter your home without your consent or a judicial search warrant"; an ICE administrative warrant is not enough ILRC Know Your Rights FAQ (checked 16 Oct 2026).
10. Filming is legal in public if you don't interfere ACLU (3 Sep 2025). Blur bystanders' faces and strip metadata before posting EFF Surveillance Self-Defense (reviewed 26 Jun 2026); our EXIF viewer shows what a photo gives away.

Check your phone's own exposure with our phone tracking check, and request records about these tools with our surveillance FOIA guide.

What do DHS and the vendors say?

• DHS: technology helps arrest gang members, traffickers and other offenders; it declined to disclose "law enforcement sensitive methods" AP via PBS NewsHour (30 Jan 2026). On subpoenas, DHS "conducts all operations in strict accordance with the U.S. Constitution, the Fourth Amendment, and federal law" Pennsylvania Capital-Star (9 Mar 2026).
• ICE on spyware: Lyons certified that HSI's use of the tool "does not pose significant security or counterintelligence risks" TechCrunch (2 Apr 2026).
• Palantir: it is "not facilitating widespread and unfettered data sharing" Palantir blog (27 Jan 2026).
• Flock: no DHS contract; federal pilots paused Flock Safety blog (25 Aug 2025).
• LexisNexis: it has provided "data and analytics solutions for decades, across several administrations" TechCrunch (26 Jan 2026).

Sources

Every source was read on 16 October 2026. 404 Media articles were read only up to their paywall. Some outlets (including Wired, Ars Technica and CNN) blocked our reader; we did not work around that and did not use their reporting. Claims we could not confirm, such as several contract amounts reported only second-hand, are labelled or left out. Not legal advice.

1. 404 Media — ICE using a facial recognition app, leaked emails (26 Jun 2025)
2. 404 Media — inside ICE's facial recognition app of 200 million images (17 Jul 2025)
3. Biometric Update — ICE's use of CBP biometric app, on DHS's Privacy Threshold Analysis (17 Dec 2025)
4. 404 Media — you can't refuse to be scanned, DHS document says (31 Oct 2025)
5. AP via PBS NewsHour — DHS intensifies surveillance in immigration raids (30 Jan 2026)
6. Biometric Update — Illinois and Chicago lawsuit (13 Jan 2026)
7. 404 Media — app misidentified a woman twice (19 Jan 2026)
8. Sen. Ron Wyden — Wyden, Merkley and Markey demand ICE stop using the app (11 Sep 2025)
9. House Homeland Security Committee Democrats — Thompson bill on mobile biometrics (15 Jan 2026)
10. Biometric Update — app for local 287(g) police (18 Jun 2026)
11. Just Futures Law — FOIA complaint on Mobile Fortify (23 Jun 2026)
12. Palantir via Business Wire — ICM contract renewal (26 Sep 2022)
13. The Register — ICE enlists Palantir for ImmigrationOS (21 Apr 2025)
14. ExecutiveGov — Palantir ImmigrationOS task order (15 Oct 2025)
15. 404 Media — ELITE, the Palantir app (15 Jan 2026)
16. Palantir blog — response to EFF report (27 Jan 2026)
17. NPR via Connecticut Public — ICE shared Medicaid data with Palantir (17 Jul 2026)
18. 404 Media — ICE to pay LexisNexis for data for Palantir (10 Aug 2026)
19. DHS Acquisition Planning Forecast System — record F2026072396 (republished 9 Jan 2026)
20. VTDigger — ICE social-media contractors in Vermont (6 Oct 2025)
21. The Lever — ICE bought a social-media surveillance tool (23 Oct 2025)
22. EFF — ICE surveillance shopping spree (7 Jan 2026)
23. 404 Media — the 200 sites an ICE contractor monitors (12 Mar 2025)
24. TechCrunch — ICE reactivates Paragon contract (2 Sep 2025)
25. TechCrunch — ICE says it bought Paragon spyware for drug cases (2 Apr 2026)
26. NPR — DHS on ICE and Paragon (22 May 2026)
27. Letter from Sen. Wyden and 71 other members to DHS Inspector General Cuffari (3 Mar 2026)
28. DHS Office of Inspector General — OIG-23-61, commercial telemetry data (29 Sep 2023)
29. TechCrunch — ICE bought cell-site simulator vehicles (7 Oct 2025)
30. TechCrunch — ICE contract with Magnet Forensics (18 Sep 2025)
31. Congressional Research Service — LSB11413, IRS–ICE data sharing litigation (17 Sep 2026)
32. Healthcare IT News — Medicaid data use blocked in 20 states (18 Aug 2025)
33. Lynnwood Times — December 2025 Medicaid ruling (30 Dec 2025)
34. Courthouse News — judge limits ICE reach for immigrant data (3 Sep 2026)
35. Nextgov/FCW — states share driver data with ICE, lawmakers say (12 Nov 2025)
36. TechCrunch — the tech powering ICE's deportation crackdown (26 Jan 2026)
37. 404 Media — ICE taps into Flock camera data (27 May 2025)
38. Flock Safety — "Ensuring local compliance" blog post (25 Aug 2025)
39. 404 Media — ICE spends millions on Clearview AI (8 Sep 2025)
40. Engadget, citing the New York Times — DHS subpoenas to identify ICE critics (14 Feb 2026)
41. ACLU of Northern California — DHS withdraws Instagram subpoena (25 Nov 2025)
42. ACLU — DHS withdraws subpoena targeting a critic (10 Feb 2026)
43. Pennsylvania Capital-Star — ACLU of Pennsylvania on DHS subpoenas (9 Mar 2026)
44. MediaPost — administration vs ICEBlock creator (4 Mar 2026)
45. MacRumors — Apple explains removal of ICE tracking apps (29 Sep 2026)
46. EFF — Aaron v. Bondi case page (checked 16 Oct 2026)
47. EFF Surveillance Self-Defense — Attending a Protest (last reviewed 26 Jun 2026)
48. ACLU — Know your rights in encounters with law enforcement (3 Sep 2025)
49. ACLU — Filming ICE interactions safely (3 Mar 2026)
50. Immigrant Legal Resource Center — Know Your Rights FAQ (checked 16 Oct 2026)

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