ICE Agents Have List of 20 Million People on Their iPhones Thanks to Palantir

ICE officials revealed last week that their Palantir-based technology provides agents with a list of 20 million potential targets accessible directly on their iPhones, dramatically increasing the speed and scope of immigration enforcement operations.

During the Border Security Expo in Phoenix, senior ICE officials, including Matthew Elliston, stated that the agency now has access to a database of 20 million individuals, which can be used to locate and target people for detention or arrest. This list can be used by agents to identify individuals and their residences, even enabling them to see potential targets nearby. Elliston claimed that Palantir’s technology has increased ICE’s success rate in locating targets from around 27 percent to nearly 80 percent. The system integrates between 30 and 40 datasets, including information from sources like HHS and Thomson Reuters’ CLEAR, to create comprehensive dossiers on individuals, including address confidence scores. This development follows prior revelations about Palantir’s work with ICE, such as the ELITE tool, which maps potential deportation targets and provides detailed personal information. The officials’ comments suggest a significant enhancement in ICE’s operational capabilities, with some critics raising concerns about privacy and civil liberties. Palantir has previously stated that its tools are used for prioritized enforcement and to surface addresses of individuals with final removal orders or criminal charges.

Why It Matters

This development is significant because it indicates a substantial increase in ICE’s surveillance and enforcement capacity, facilitated by Palantir’s technology. The ability to access a list of 20 million potential targets on mobile devices raises questions about privacy, civil liberties, and the scope of law enforcement data collection. It also highlights ongoing concerns about the use of advanced data analytics in immigration enforcement, especially given reports of wrongful detentions and lack of transparency.

Background

Palantir has been a longstanding contractor for DHS and ICE, with previous tools like ICM and ELITE enhancing enforcement efforts. The leaked information about ELITE in January revealed its role in mapping potential deportation targets, and recent comments suggest that Palantir’s technology has become more integrated and advanced under the current administration. The increase in operational success rates and the scope of data access mark a notable escalation in ICE’s capacity to identify and apprehend individuals, amidst ongoing debates about immigration policies and civil liberties.

“ICE agents now have 20 million targets on their iPhones, which can lead to faster arrests and raids.”

— Matthew Elliston, ICE Assistant Director

“Palantir has increased our success rate from 27 percent to nearly 80 percent in locating targets.”

— Elliston, during the conference

“ICE employs various technologies while respecting civil liberties and privacy interests.”

— DHS spokesperson

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What Remains Unclear

Details about how the data is collected, stored, and used in daily enforcement remain unclear. The scope of privacy protections and oversight is also uncertain, as officials did not specify safeguards. The accuracy and potential for misidentification with facial recognition apps like Mobile Fortify have been reported but are not fully clarified in this context.

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What’s Next

Further disclosures about ICE’s data practices and oversight are expected, possibly through congressional inquiries or civil liberties investigations. Monitoring of how these tools are used in enforcement actions and potential legal challenges are likely to follow.

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Key Questions

How does ICE access the 20 million targets on their iPhones?

According to ICE officials, the agency uses Palantir’s technology to compile and access a large database of potential targets, which can be directly accessed on mobile devices through integrated systems.

What kind of data does Palantir’s system use?

Palantir’s tools aggregate data from multiple sources, including the Department of Health and Human Services and Thomson Reuters’ CLEAR, to build detailed dossiers on individuals, including addresses and confidence scores.

Are there privacy protections in place for this data?

Officials claim that civil liberties are respected, but specific safeguards are not detailed publicly. Critics argue that the scope of data collection and use raises serious privacy concerns.

Has there been any legal challenge to this technology?

There are no publicly known legal challenges specific to this system yet, but civil rights groups have protested Palantir’s contracts with ICE and DHS, raising ongoing legal and ethical questions.