ICE’s Intelligence Operations: Gathering Data on Individuals through Surveillance
Recent advancements in ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations indicate a strategic shift towards enhanced data collection and analysis capabilities. ICE plans to establish specialized teams that will act as intelligence units, handling incoming tips and cases. These teams will conduct online research to compile detailed dossiers on individuals, intended for use by field offices in planning arrests.
The scope of information these teams are expected to gather is notably extensive. Draft guidelines highlight the focus on open-source intelligence, encompassing a wide array of public content, including posts, photographs, and interactions across platforms such as Facebook, Reddit, and TikTok. Researchers may also delve into less mainstream websites, including international sites like Russia’s VKontakte, to broaden their data pool.
In their efforts, ICE teams will utilize powerful commercial databases such as LexisNexis Accurint and Thomson Reuters CLEAR. These tools integrate various personal records, including property details, utility accounts, and vehicle registrations, producing incremental files that can be efficiently queried to enhance the intelligence-gathering process.
The operational framework outlined by ICE specifies stringent turnaround times based on case urgency. Immediate cases, particularly those related to national security or individuals on ICE’s Top Ten Most Wanted list, are required to be researched and processed within just 30 minutes. High-priority cases receive a one-hour window for completion, while lower-priority inquiries must be resolved by the end of the workday. ICE aims for a compliance rate of at least 75% for these timeframes, with top contractors required to achieve closer to 95%.
The initiative does not solely rely on human analysis. ICE has expressed interest in integrating algorithms and artificial intelligence into their intelligence operations, aligning with recent technological recruitment strategies. Moreover, the agency has allocated over one million dollars annually to equip its analysts with the latest surveillance technologies, aimed at bolstering their investigative capabilities.
In early revelations, prior reports indicated that ICE had considered developing a system capable of automatically scanning social media for negative sentiments towards the agency, flagging users who exhibit signs of potential violence. Procurement documents obtained through various channels showcased software utilized by ICE to create comprehensive profiles on flagged individuals, incorporating personal data and familial relationships, with facial recognition technology employed to link visual content from across the internet. Experts have cautioned that this technology raises concerns regarding its ability to differentiate between legitimate threats and politically motivated expression.
As this strategy unfolds, business owners should consider the implications of such intensive surveillance practices. The array of tactics potentially employed in these operations aligns with various methods outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, including initial access through social engineering, persistence via data aggregation, and privilege escalation through access to proprietary databases. This emphasizes the need for vigilance among organizations operating within the digital landscape, particularly concerning the increasing surveillance capabilities of government agencies.
ICE has not yet responded to inquiries regarding these developments, leaving many questions unanswered about the future of such data-gathering initiatives and their broader societal implications. The evolving intersection of technology and law enforcement mandates heightened awareness and reflective practices among business leaders and the public alike.
