The Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis are offering a stark glimpse into the advanced surveillance technologies being deployed as part of a nationwide mass deportation campaign. This crackdown, described by officials as one of the largest of its kind, has drawn intense national scrutiny following incidents where federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens earlier this month.
Confrontation on a Minneapolis Street
Luis Martinez was driving to work on a bitterly cold morning in a Minneapolis suburb when his SUV was abruptly surrounded by federal agents, forcing him to a halt in the middle of the road. Masked officers rapped on his window, demanding identification. One agent then held a cellphone just inches from Martinez's face, scanning his features to capture the precise contours of his eyes, lips, and cheeks. Throughout the encounter, the agent repeatedly questioned: "Are you a U.S. citizen?"
This incident exemplifies the tactics now commonplace in Minnesota, where the Department of Homeland Security has surged personnel. While authorities claim enforcement is targeted at serious offenders, evidence from photographs, videos, and internal documents suggests a heavy reliance on biometric surveillance and interconnected databases. This highlights how a vast digital surveillance apparatus has become central to the administration's immigration strategy.
Expanding Surveillance Networks
Over the past year, Homeland Security and other federal agencies have significantly enhanced their capacity to collect, share, and analyse personal data. This expansion is facilitated by a complex web of agreements with local, state, federal, and international bodies, alongside contracts with technology firms and data brokers. The databases now encompass immigration and travel records, facial images, and information sourced from vehicle registries.
In Martinez's case, the facial scan failed to find a match, and he was only released after producing his U.S. passport, which he carries due to fears of such encounters. "I used to tell people that Minnesota is a paradise for everyone, where all cultures are free," Martinez recounted. "But now people are fleeing the state because of what's happening. It's terrifying. It's not safe anymore."
Advocates warn that, combined with other government surveillance systems, federal authorities can now monitor American cities on an unprecedented scale. Agents can identify individuals on streets using facial recognition, track movements via license-plate readers, and in some instances, utilise commercially available phone-location data to reconstruct daily routines and associations.
Civil Liberties and Privacy Concerns
Civil liberties experts express alarm that the broadening use of these systems risks ensnaring both citizens and noncitizens, often with minimal transparency or effective oversight. When questioned by The Associated Press about its increasing reliance on surveillance tools, the Department of Homeland Security declined to disclose law enforcement-sensitive methods, stating that technology aids in arresting criminals while respecting civil liberties.
Dan Herman, a former Customs and Border Protection senior adviser in the Biden administration now at the Center for American Progress, highlighted the threat to privacy rights. "They have access to a tremendous amount of trade, travel, immigration, and screening data. That's a significant national security asset, but there's concern about potential abuse," Herman said. "Everyone should be very concerned that this data could be weaponised for improper purposes."
Facial Recognition in the Field
On Wednesday, DHS revealed online that it has been utilising a facial recognition app called Mobile Fortify, which compares scans taken by agents with "trusted source photos" to verify identities. Developed by vendor NEC, the app employs facial comparison or fingerprint-matching systems and was operational for CBP and ICE before the immigration crackdown in Los Angeles in June.
Reporters and online videos show agents rarely seeking consent before scanning faces, sometimes continuing even after objections. In two instances near Columbia Heights, Minnesota, where officials recently detained a 5-year-old boy and his father, masked agents held phones a foot from people's faces to capture biometric details. Unlike airport screenings where travellers are typically notified, Martinez said he was given no choice.
A lawsuit filed by Illinois and Chicago alleges DHS has used Mobile Fortify over 100,000 times in the field. DHS told AP the app supports accurate identity verification with a high-matching threshold, using only some immigration data. Without federal guidelines, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights warned in a 2024 report that such deployments raise issues about accuracy, oversight, transparency, discrimination, and access to justice.
Body Cameras and Emerging Technologies
Last year, the Trump administration reduced a program to equip Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials with body cameras, though agents involved in the fatal shooting of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti were wearing them, with footage under review. Gregory Bovino, the former top Border Patrol official for the Minneapolis crackdown, began wearing a bodycam in response to a judge's order late last year.
Body-camera video could clarify events around Pretti's death, as he was filming agents when shot in the back. Administration officials adjusted their tone after independent footage emerged, challenging accusations that Pretti intended to harm agents.
AI and Future Surveillance
Homeland Security and affiliated agencies are piloting and deploying over 100 artificial intelligence systems, some for law enforcement, according to a recent disclosure. Congress authorised U.S. Customs and Border Protection to receive more than $2.7 billion last year to enhance border surveillance with AI and emerging technologies.
DHS has also sought information from private industry on how technology can support investigations and identify individuals. Meanwhile, contractor Palantir received $30 million to extend a system for locating people flagged for deportation, and the administration disclosed it's using Palantir's AI models to sift through immigration enforcement tips.
DHS is exploring partnerships with license-plate reader companies like Flock Safety to expand tracking capabilities. Rachel Levinson-Waldman of the Brennan Center for Justice's Liberty and National Security Program cautioned that increased funding for surveillance tools alters the landscape. "We are developing these technologies for immigrant enforcement," she said. "Are we also going to expand it or wield it against U.S. citizens engaging in lawful or protest activity?"
