Civil Liberties and Policing

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the parent agency of the U.S. Border Patrol, uses license plate readers to help identify threats and disrupt criminal networks and asserts that such technology use is governed by multi-layered policy frameworks, federal law, and constitutional protections.

The U.S. Border Patrol primarily operates within 100 miles of the U.S. borders but is legally authorized to operate anywhere in the United States.

The U.S. Border Patrol's surveillance efforts draw on license plate reader data from nationwide systems operated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, private companies, and local law enforcement programs funded through federal grants.

The U.S. Border Patrol operates a predictive intelligence program that collects license plate reader data and applies algorithms to flag vehicles as suspicious based on factors such as where a vehicle came from, where it is going, and which route it took; flagged vehicles can prompt local law enforcement stops, searches, and arrests.

The U.S. Border Patrol generally operates within a 100‑mile zone from U.S. borders but is legally authorized to operate anywhere in the United States.

The Border Patrol's vehicle‑monitoring system incorporates license plate reader data from multiple sources — including Drug Enforcement Administration systems, private companies, and local law enforcement programs funded through federal grants — and deploys cameras that can be disguised in traffic safety equipment like drums, barrels, and traffic cones.