ICE Deportation Tech: What You Need to Know Now

President Donald Trump pledged to make countering immigration a cornerstone of his presidency, promising an unprecedented surge in deportations. As of the latest data, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection have surpassed at least 350,000 deportations. This aggressive approach has placed ICE at the forefront of the mass removal campaign, leading to raids in homes, workplaces, and public spaces, sparking widespread protests and resistance across the United States. A critical component of this effort is the increasing reliance on sophisticated surveillance technologies. This article delves into the specific technologies ICE employs, the controversies surrounding their use, and the implications for civil liberties.

The Expanding Tech Arsenal of ICE

ICE’s operations are increasingly fueled by a diverse range of technologies designed to identify, track, and ultimately deport individuals. These tools raise significant privacy concerns and have prompted legal challenges questioning their constitutionality. Homeland Security has also leveraged the political climate to push the boundaries of established legal norms, including warrantless home entries – a practice legal experts argue violates Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Cell-Site Simulators (Stingrays & IMSI Catchers)

ICE utilizes cell-site simulators, often referred to as “stingrays” (named after an early version manufactured by Harris, now L3Harris) or IMSI catchers. These devices mimic cell phone towers, tricking nearby phones into connecting to them. Once connected, authorities can pinpoint the location of phones, potentially intercept calls, texts, and internet traffic. This technology casts a wide net, collecting data from innocent individuals in the vicinity.

In recent years, ICE has contracted with TechOps Specialty Vehicles (TOSV) for over $1.5 million to produce customized vans equipped with these capabilities. A May 8, 2025 contract, valued at over $800,000, specifically requested “Cell Site Simulator (CSS) Vehicles” for the Homeland Security Technical Operations program. TOSV president Jon Brianas clarified that the company integrates the simulators into their vehicle designs, rather than manufacturing them directly.

The use of cell-site simulators remains highly controversial. Beyond the indiscriminate data collection affecting innocent bystanders, concerns exist regarding the lack of transparency and the frequent deployment of these devices without warrants. In a 2019 Baltimore court case, prosecutors were reportedly instructed to drop cases rather than disclose information about their use of cell-site simulators, highlighting the secrecy surrounding this technology.

Facial Recognition Technology

Clearview AI, a prominent facial recognition company, has become a key partner for ICE. The company boasts the ability to identify individuals by searching a vast database of images scraped from the internet. Recent reports indicate a $3.75 million contract signed with ICE to support Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in identifying victims and offenders in cases of child sexual exploitation and assaults against law enforcement.

This isn’t a new relationship. ICE previously purchased “forensic software” from Clearview AI in September 2024 for $1.1 million and spent nearly $800,000 in 2023 on “facial recognition enterprise licenses.” Clearview AI has not responded to requests for comment.

ICE also employs Mobile Fortify, a facial recognition app that scans driver’s license photos against a database of 200 million images, largely sourced from state driver’s license databases, allowing agents to identify individuals on the street.

Paragon Phone Spyware

In September 2024, ICE entered into a $2 million contract with Israeli spyware maker Paragon Solutions. However, the Biden administration immediately issued a “stop work order” to review the contract’s compliance with an executive order regarding government use of commercial spyware. The Trump administration subsequently lifted the order, reactivating the contract.

The practical implications of this reactivation remain unclear. The contract specifies a “fully configured proprietary solution including license, hardware, warranty, maintenance, and training.” Full implementation may take time, depending on hardware installation and training schedules. It’s also uncertain whether the spyware will be used by ICE or HSI, whose investigations extend beyond immigration to include areas like child sexual exploitation and financial fraud.

Paragon has positioned itself as an “ethical” spyware provider, but faces scrutiny given its new partnership with Trump’s ICE. The company was recently acquired by American private equity firm AE Industrial, with plans to merge it with cybersecurity company RedLattice. When GearTech reached out for comment, they were directed to RedLattice’s vice president of marketing and communications, Jennifer Iras, who did not respond.

Paragon has also been embroiled in a spyware scandal in Italy, accused of spying on journalists and immigration activists, leading the company to sever ties with Italian intelligence agencies.

Phone Hacking and Unlocking Technology

In mid-September, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) signed a $3 million contract with Magnet Forensics for software licenses enabling agents to “recover digital evidence, process multiple devices,” and “generate forensic reports.” Magnet Forensics is the current maker of Graykey, a device that allows law enforcement to unlock and access data from locked phones.

Magnet Forensics, following its merger with Graykey makers Grayshift in 2023, did not respond to a request for comment.

Cellphone Location Data

Recent reports reveal that ICE purchased access to an “all-in-one” surveillance tool providing access to historical cellphone location data and social media information. This tool comprises Tangles and Webloc, developed by Penlink. Webloc reportedly leverages a “proprietary data platform” to analyze billions of daily location signals from hundreds of millions of mobile devices, offering both forensic and predictive analytics.

This data is harvested through software development kits (SDKs) embedded in smartphone apps and through real-time bidding (RTB) in online advertising. Data brokers then sell this information to government agencies, allowing authorities to access it without a warrant. Tangles is described as an “AI-powered open-source intelligence” tool automating data analysis from the open, deep, and dark web.

Forbes reported that ICE spent $5 million on Penlink’s tools. Penlink did not respond to a request for comment.

License Plate Readers

ICE relies on automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology to track drivers across the U.S., monitoring their movements and patterns. The agency also leverages partnerships with local law enforcement agencies, who have contracts with ALPR providers like Flock Safety, to access immigration data indirectly. Flock Safety, with over 40,000 scanners nationwide and expanding partnerships (including with Ring), is a major player in this space.

Concerns over data sharing have prompted some police departments to limit federal agencies’ access to their ALPR data. Border Patrol also operates its own network of ALPR cameras.

LexisNexis’ Legal and Public Records Databases

For years, ICE has utilized LexisNexis, a legal research and public records data broker, to support its investigations. Freedom of Information Act requests revealed that ICE conducted over 1.2 million searches using the Accurint Virtual Crime Center tool over a seven-month period in 2022, checking the backgrounds of migrants.

In 2023, The Intercept reported that ICE was using LexisNexis to detect “suspicious activity” and investigate migrants *before* they committed a crime, a practice critics decry as “mass surveillance.” ICE currently pays $4.7 million annually for a law enforcement investigative database subscription (LEIDS) providing access to public records and commercial data.

LexisNexis spokesperson Jennifer Richman stated that ICE has used their products for decades across multiple administrations, emphasizing their commitment to responsible and ethical data use in compliance with laws and regulations.

Surveillance Giant Palantir

Palantir, a data analytics and surveillance technology company, has secured several contracts with ICE in the past year. The largest, worth $18.5 million (September 2024), is for a database system called “Investigative Case Management,” or ICM.

This contract builds on a $95.9 million deal signed in 2022. Palantir’s relationship with ICE dates back to the early 2010s. Recent reports from 404 Media have detailed how the ICM database functions, allowing ICE to filter individuals based on immigration status, physical characteristics, criminal affiliation, location data, and more. Sources familiar with the database describe it as a complex system of interconnected data tables capable of generating detailed reports.

Internal Palantir documents leaked to 404 Media reveal the company’s justification for working with Trump’s ICE. Palantir is also developing ImmigrationOS, a tool designed to streamline “selection and apprehension operations,” track self-deportations, and monitor visa overstays, according to a document first reported by Wired.

First published on September 13, 2025 and updated on September 18, 2025 to include Magnet Forensics’ new contract, again on October 8, 2025 to include cell-site simulators and location data, and again on January 26, 2026 to include license plate readers.