A recent investigation revealed the method Border protection It has been used for several years to detect drivers hundreds of kilometers away identify and stop to those who are considered “suspicious” due to their travel behavior or other factors. The same strategy that is very present in states like Texas, Arizona or California, began to raise concerns among migrants in Florida.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBPfor its acronym in English) monitors millions of drivers across the country through a hidden programaccording to a study published by The Associated Press.
Through a network of cameras, the agency can scans and records vehicle license plate informationwhile an algorithm flags those it deems suspicious based on this where they came from, their destination and the route they took.
The Investigation It is based on interviews with former government officials, dozens of federal, state and local officials, lawyers and othersReviewing thousands of pages of court documents. Also data on government grants and police forces as well as arrest reports.
AP points out that the Border protection has developed this Surveillance system which extends to Interior of the US territory in areas of Texas, Arizona and Californiaand near the Border with Canada. However, the information is already causing concern in other countries, such as: Florida.
Based on the details disclosed by the news outlet, CBS12 News conducted its own investigation to determine the method’s impact on the Sunshine State. This is how they discovered that the… Cameras from a company used by CBP You can find them along the streets Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
“There is no evidence that the federal program used that Florida data as in the states examined AP. But The infrastructure is thereand this possibility is at the heart of a growing data protection debate“, says the quoted media.
In a statement from CBP The agency stated to the media that this was the case mission “is based on a layered combination of Personnel, technology and infrastructure for detect illegal activities while supporting legal trade and travel.”
CBS12News explains that some Florida lawmakers say surveillance is justified. He Republican Rep. Randy Fine supports the use of License plate tracking tools if they help identify illegal immigrants or criminal networks.
“Until we deport all illegal immigrantsWe must do this without exception anything possible to catch them” said.
On the other hand, Jay Stanley, policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLUfor its acronym in English), specified: “We cannot allow this immigration becomes an excuse for the government to establish large surveillance systems “Let them keep an eye on everyone all the time.”
He added that the Mass license plate surveillance opens the door to a future where every driver’s movements can be stored, analyzed and studied.
“When the government starts implementing one Mass surveillance system That means this tracks drivers across the country We are all subject to scrutiny“, he explained.
CBP said about the system AP The uses license plate readers to identify threats and criminal networksand that “it is subject to a rigorous and multi-layered regulatory framework, as well as federal law and constitutional protections, to ensure that the technology is used responsibly and with security in mind.”
He also pointed out that e.g National security reasons You cannot provide any information about specific operational applications.
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