As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to begin his second term with a promised large-scale deportation plan targeting millions of undocumented immigrants, many questions remain, from the role of the military in carrying out the large-scale operation to just how much other countries will be willing to collaborate.
But perhaps one overlooked aspect in potential deportations is the role of private data and technology firms in supporting such efforts. A recent inquiry by The Intercept, however, provides some insights into how more than three dozen data and tech companies could approach the issue as only four of those contacted were willing to respond to questions about their potential involvement.
Operational details are scarce but data-centric methods such as software analysis and access to massive databases of personal information are expected to play a significant role. In fact, personal data from everyday activities like phone subscriptions, credit reports, and utility records are often collected, sold, and repurposed by private companies, providing a critical tool for enforcement.
As The Intercept explains, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) paid $17 million to LexisNexis in 2021 for access to a database containing over 10,000 data points on millions of individuals in the U.S. Within seven months, ICE reportedly conducted 1.2 million searches using the platform. Other firms, such as Palantir, have provided analytic software to support ICE operations, including targeting unaccompanied minors.
For its most recent piece, The Intercept reached out to data and technology companies that hold immense quantities of personal information including data brokers that glean intimate personal details from advertising streams, mainstream cellular phone providers, household-name social networks and predictive policing firms
"The list is by no means exhaustive," explains the piece. "Private firms that quietly collect and sell personal data that could be of use to immigration authorities are innumerable and ever-growing. Some of these companies, like Meta, may not directly sell personal records to third-party customers in the manner of LexisNexis but could be asked to aid in immigration enforcement if presented with a legal request."
The question, as presented to the companies, reads:
"Would your company provide the Trump administration with data or other technical services to help facilitate mass deportation operations, either voluntarily, in response to a legal request, or via a paid contract?"
Among the most high-profile players that refused to answer were Apple, AT&T, Google and Microsoft. Among those that did respond, perhaps the most telling one came from surveillance company Flock Safety which answered:
"As I'm sure you're aware, our mission is to eliminate crime, and build a safer future. However, we don't create the laws. We operate in CA, a sanctuary state, and our customers follow the enforcement rules of the state. In contrast, we also operate in TX, which is not a sanctuary state, and our customers follow the enforcement rules of the state. At the end of the day, we support the Constitution and the democratically-elected governing bodies having the right to enact laws at the will of the people."
When asked again if Flock would engage in a contract pertaining to mass deportations, spokesperson Josh Thomas replied, "We don't entertain hypotheticals." Other companies which responded included data broker LexisNexis which provided a hypothetical "yes" and location data broker Near/Azira which responded with a "no."
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