The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general has launched an investigation into DHS’s use of biometric data and personally identifiable information. Inspector General Joseph Cuffari confirmed the probe in a letter responding to Virginia Senators Mark Warner (D) and Tim Kaine (D) after they expressed concerns about immigration agents using facial recognition and license plate readers against protesters. Other lawmakers have proposed legislation in an attempt to limit ICE’s high-tech capabilities, alleging the agency is violating constitutional rights. ICE has no doubt expanded its surveillance tactics, but has it gone too far?

In September, ICE signed a contract worth $3.75 million with Clearview AI, a facial recognition company, for access to software to help it identify “victims and offenders in child sexual exploitation cases and assaults against law enforcement officers,” according to procurement records. After uploading a photo or snapping a picture of somebody’s face with a phone, law enforcement can search potential matching images in a database containing billions of pictures scraped from the web. The agency also uses Mobile Fortify, an app that enables agents to compare faces they encounter in the field against government databases and reveal immigration status and other biographical information.

Another tool agents have access to is called ELITE, powered by Palantir, a tech company specializing in data analysis. The software, explained 404 Media, allows DHS agents to “populate a map with potential deportation targets, bring up dossiers on each person, and view an address ‘confidence score’ based on data sourced” from government agencies. Essentially, it helps officers decide which neighborhoods to raid. Controversy remains about how broadly this tool is used.

Agents can also scan a license plate with a cellphone and use a mobile app to instantly retrieve a vehicle’s travel history, ownership records,........

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