● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 negative
CBP Officers Accused of Misusing Surveillance Technology for Personal Reasons
Key points
- CBP officers allegedly misused databases for personal spying and aiding drug traffickers.
- Incidents included contacting flight attendants and tracking co-workers' cellphones.
- Of 300 incidents, 21 were withheld due to potential criminal proceedings.
- DHS has extensive surveillance capabilities, including Palantir systems and facial recognition.
Allegations of Misuse
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have reportedly misused electronic databases for unauthorized purposes, according to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) files reviewed by Wired. These alleged misuses include spying on family members, attempting to initiate romantic relationships, and providing intelligence to suspected drug traffickers. The databases draw from sources such as license plate readers, facial recognition technology, and smartphone searches.
Specific Incidents Detailed
The FOIA files, covering the period from 2009 to 2022, document several troubling incidents. One CBP officer allegedly used a government database to contact a flight attendant, while another was accused of using data from trusted-traveler applications to ask individuals on dates. Other reported abuses include an employee providing border-crossing data in a divorce case and another tracking co-workers' cellphones using ad-tech-derived location data.
Investigation and Accountability
Wired tracked 300 incidents of alleged misconduct; 138 were referred to CBP management, and 78 were assigned to criminal investigators. Forty-three incidents were not investigated. While many claims were handled internally or categorized as minor misconduct, 21 were withheld due to potential law-enforcement proceedings, suggesting criminal activity. CBP stated it takes misconduct allegations seriously and takes appropriate investigatory, corrective, and disciplinary action.
Broader Surveillance Concerns
This report is significant due to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) extensive access to private citizen data and its development of one of the world's largest surveillance systems. DHS sources include immigration arrest records, border screening records, naturalization applications, and the SENTRI trusted-traveler program. The agency also utilizes Palantir's ICM and FALCON systems, along with the DHS Mobile Fortify facial-recognition app deployed on agents' phones.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers reportedly misused electronic databases, including facial recognition and license plate readers, to spy on family members, seek dates, and provide intelligence to drug traffickers. This misuse highlights concerns about privacy violations given the Department of Homeland Security's extensive access to private citizen data.