US Customs and Border Protection to Photograph Every Vehicle Exiting the US – What You Need to Know
US Customs to Photograph Everyone Exiting the Country by Car
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The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is expanding its surveillance measures by planning to photograph every individual leaving the country by vehicle, matching their faces to passports, visas, or other travel documents. This new initiative mirrors an existing program that already captures images of people entering the US, raising concerns about privacy, tracking, and government overreach.
Expanding Surveillance: From Entry to Exit
Currently, CBP photographs travelers entering the US by car and cross-references them with their travel documents. Now, the agency intends to extend this system to outbound lanes at land borders with Canada and Mexico.
Jessica Turner, a CBP spokesperson, confirmed to WIRED that while the agency is still finalizing logistics, the expansion to outbound monitoring is inevitable. However, no specific timeline has been provided.
Tracking Self-Deportations: A Possible Motive?
One potential use of this system could be tracking "self-deportations"—individuals leaving the US voluntarily, a practice encouraged by the Trump administration for undocumented immigrants. While Turner stated that tracking self-deportations is not the current purpose, she did not rule out the possibility in the future.
Currently, neither CBP nor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has a reliable method to monitor self-deportations, aside from an ICE app that allows individuals to self-report their departures.
Tech Challenges and Palantir’s Role
CBP has faced technical hurdles in implementing facial recognition for inbound travelers. A recent test at the Anzalduas border crossing in Texas showed that cameras successfully captured usable facial images only 61% of the time, raising questions about the system’s accuracy.
Meanwhile, ICE has invested $30 million in Palantir, a controversial data analytics firm, to develop ImmigrationOS—a tool designed to provide "near real-time visibility" on self-deportations. It remains unclear whether CBP’s outbound facial recognition system will integrate with Palantir’s software.
Privacy and Civil Liberties Concerns
The expansion of biometric tracking at borders has sparked debates over privacy rights and government surveillance. Critics argue that mass facial recognition without clear safeguards could lead to misuse of data and unjust targeting of individuals.
With no clear transparency on how long these images will be stored or who will have access, civil rights advocates warn of potential overreach.
Key Takeaways
- CBP plans to photograph all vehicle passengers exiting the US, matching faces to travel documents.
- The system mirrors inbound facial recognition, which has struggled with accuracy (only 61% success in tests).
- Potential use for tracking self-deportations, though not currently confirmed.
- ICE is working with Palantir on ImmigrationOS, a $30M tool to monitor self-deportations.
- Privacy concerns loom over expanded biometric surveillance at borders.
Summary
The US government is ramping up border surveillance by implementing facial recognition for all vehicle passengers leaving the country. While the primary goal is to enhance security, concerns persist over privacy, accuracy, and potential misuse of data—especially in tracking self-deportations. With tech giants like Palantir involved, the future of border monitoring remains a contentious issue.
Stay tuned for updates as this policy develops.
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