Senators urge ICE to end use of Mobile Fortify facial-recognition app

Senators Edward J. Markey, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley — joined by Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Chris Van Hollen, Tina Smith, Bernie Sanders and Adam Schiff — sent a letter to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons urging the agency to stop using Mobile Fortify, a smartphone app that uses biometric identification including facial recognition.

The senators argued that facial recognition remains unreliable and warned that real‑time surveillance can chill constitutionally protected activities. “As studies have shown, when individuals believe they are being surveilled, they are less likely to engage in First Amendment‑protected activities, such as protests or rallies — undermining the very core of our democracy,” the letter says.

What the senators asked ICE

• Who built the Mobile Fortify app and when it was deployed
• Whether ICE tested the app’s accuracy
• The legal basis for its use and current agency policies governing it
• Whether ICE will commit to ending Mobile Fortify, and if not, why

The senators requested answers by October 2. The episode follows reporting that New Orleans police secretly used facial recognition on a private camera network for two years — activity that raised concerns about local rules and transparency.

With no federal regulation on facial recognition, states have adopted varied rules: some, like Illinois, let individuals sue over misuse of biometric data and require written consent; others have stricter or looser limits. The debate remains contentious even as many Americans support limited uses of the technology.

Source: Engadget

What do you think — should ICE be allowed to use mobile facial‑recognition tools for real‑time identification? Share your thoughts below.