The US Border Patrol monitors millions of drivers domestically. Algorithms are used to identify and stop suspicious vehicles.
The US Border Patrol has launched a secret surveillance program affecting millions of drivers across the country. According to the AP news agency, vehicle license plates were recorded by a network of cameras and analyzed using algorithms. The aim is to identify suspicious travel routes and uncover possible criminal activity. Authorities also use data from local police authorities and private companies to expand their surveillance.
Suspicious patterns lead to inspection
The program’s algorithms evaluate, among other things, where the vehicle came from, where it is going, and which route it took. If a vehicle is deemed suspicious, federal agents can alert local law enforcement to stop and search the driver.
According to the report, these checks are often carried out under pretexts, such as suspected traffic violations such as speeding or improperly displayed license plates. The drivers are then interviewed and their vehicles searched – often without knowing that they are being targeted because of their travel routes.
Expansion of supervision
This program was originally intended to combat illegal activities at the border, such as drug or human smuggling. But according to the AP, surveillance has expanded significantly in recent years and now also affects large cities such as Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles that are not close to state borders. Cameras are often well camouflaged and unobtrusive, for example in traffic cones or electrical boxes.
Criticism of massive data collection
This oversight has drawn criticism from data protection advocates and legal experts. According to the AP, some lawyers see this as a possible violation of the Constitution, particularly the Fourth Amendment, which is intended to protect against unreasonable searches and seizures. Nicole Ozer of the Center for Constitutional Democracy said: “This surveillance system does not make society safer.”
The fate of the innocent driver
The AP reported several cases in which innocent drivers were targeted by the program. For example, a furniture hauler was stopped because his license plate was deemed suspicious. Although no illegal items were found, the driver was arrested and his vehicle was confiscated.
Shipping company owners have to pay high legal fees to release their vehicles. In another case, a Houston man was stopped and his car searched for a short trip near the border. Even here, officers did not find anything suspicious.
The program must be kept confidential
According to ABC, the Border Patrol tries to keep details about the program secret. In some cases, charges have even been dropped to avoid having to announce the presence of the cameras to the public. The agency also uses funds to equip local police departments with surveillance technology and incorporate it into their programs. Critics see this as a dangerous expansion of border protection powers at home.
