FBI and ICE agents use the DMV photo database for facial recognition scanning without residents’ knowledge or consent, according to public documents spanning five years obtained by Georgetown Law researchers and shared with The Washington Post. This type of mass surveillance is “a routine investigative tool,” the paper writes.
Federal agents add this to their current database of fingerprints and DNA data collected from suspects in criminal investigations yet, in this case, most people have no criminal history whatsoever. In some US states, such as Utah, Vermont and Washington, undocumented immigrants are allowed to have driver’s licenses or permits, which has made it easier for ICE agents to run searches and deport people.
