The U.S. Border Patrol is using a nationwide network of license plate readers and predictive algorithms to identify and flag "suspicious" drivers far from the border, leading to traffic stops, searches and arrests of people who are not accused of any specific crime, according to a sprawling Associated Press investigation.
The program relies on cameras that scan and store license plate data and software that evaluates where vehicles came from, where they are going and which routes they take. When the system flags a car, Border Patrol agents can ask local police to make what are known as "whisper," "intel" or "wall" stops, often on pretextual grounds such as speeding, a minor equipment violation or window tint.
