ICE and CBP’s Face-Recognition App Can’t Actually Verify Who People Are
Summary
ICE's use of Mobile Fortify has reportedly identified over 100,000 immigrants and citizens, raising concerns about privacy. This technology, initially not designed for such purposes, gained approval after the Department of Homeland Security relaxed its privacy regulations.
Key Insights
Why can't Mobile Fortify definitively verify a person's identity or immigration status?
Mobile Fortify relies on facial recognition technology, which has well-documented accuracy issues, including higher error rates for women and people of color, especially in uncontrolled field environments. ICE treats positive matches as definitive even when contradicted by evidence like birth certificates.
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What happens to data from people scanned by the Mobile Fortify app?
The app collects biometric and biographical data from anyone scanned, including US citizens and lawful permanent residents, without opt-out options, and retains it for 15 years. A 'Super Query' can then access linked data on people, vehicles, addresses, and travel records.
Sources:
[1]