Biden’s AI surveillance tech may boost Trump’s immigration plans

Immigration technology and surveillance systems deployed under the Biden administration are poised to expand significantly under a potential second Trump presidency, with implications for millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Current technological framework: The Department of Homeland Security employs sophisticated AI-powered tools to make critical decisions about immigrant tracking, detention, and deportation.

• A system called “Hurricane Score” ranks immigrants on a 1-5 scale to assess flight risk based on factors like violations and time in monitoring programs
• The SmartLINK mobile app uses facial matching and location tracking to monitor nearly 200,000 immigrants in removal proceedings
• These tools inform but do not independently make final decisions about detention or deportation

Private sector involvement: Major private prison companies are positioning themselves to expand their role in immigrant surveillance and detention under a potential Trump administration.

• The GEO Group, through its subsidiary BI Inc., currently operates the SmartLINK surveillance system
• Company executives have indicated they could scale up monitoring from 182,500 to potentially millions of participants
• CoreCivic leadership has also signaled interest in expanding their involvement in immigrant monitoring programs

Privacy and civil rights concerns: Advocacy groups have raised significant issues about the use of AI-powered surveillance technology.

• Over 100 civil society groups are pushing for stricter compliance with Biden administration AI guidelines
• Critics argue that algorithmic risk scoring can unfairly impact detention decisions and limit immigrants’ ability to prepare legal defenses
• DHS acknowledges potential risks of unauthorized persistent monitoring and data misuse

Policy implications: The intersection of existing surveillance infrastructure with Trump’s proposed immigration policies could dramatically reshape enforcement capabilities.

• Trump has pledged to conduct the largest deportation operation in American history but has not detailed specific plans
• Current AI and surveillance tools could potentially address logistical challenges in locating and tracking undocumented immigrants
• The Biden administration’s AI guidelines could be waived or repealed under a Trump presidency

Looking ahead: The expansion of AI-powered surveillance technology in immigration enforcement represents a critical junction between technological capability and policy implementation, with profound implications for civil liberties and human rights. The involvement of private corporations in these systems adds another layer of complexity to an already contentious issue.