Border Security and Surveillance

Border Patrol is operating a nationwide network of license‑plate readers and an algorithm that flags vehicles for “suspicious” travel patterns based on origin, destination and route, with local police tipped to stop flagged cars for minor infractions and subject occupants to questioning or searches. According to documents, readers are often disguised as traffic‑safety equipment, Texas agencies have asked for facial‑recognition use, CBP is poised to receive more than $2.7 billion to expand the program with AI and other technologies, and Border Patrol has at times considered dropping cases to avoid revealing methods in court.