California Cops Investigate ‘Immigration Protest’ With AI

A California police department searched AI-enabled, automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras in relation to an “immigration protest,” according to internal police data obtained by 404 Media. The data also shows that police departments and sheriff offices around the country have repeatedly tapped into the cameras inside California, made by a company called Flock, on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), digitally reaching into the sanctuary state in a data sharing practice that experts say is illegal. 

Flock allows participating agencies to search not only cameras in their jurisdiction or state, but nationwide, meaning that local police that may work directly with ICE on immigration enforcement are able to search cameras inside California or other states. But this data sharing is only possible because California agencies have opted-in to sharing it with agencies in other states, making them legally responsible for the data sharing. 

The news raises questions about whether California agencies are enforcing the law on their own data sharing practices, threatens to undermine the state’s perception as a sanctuary state, and highlights the sort of surveillance or investigative tools law enforcement may deploy at immigration related protests. Over the weekend, millions of people attended No Kings protests across the U.S. 404 Media’s findings come after we revealed police were searching cameras in Illinois on behalf of ICE, and then Cal Matters found local law enforcement agencies in California were searching cameras for ICE too.

Already have an account? Sign in