ICE’s chilling surveillance tool hits home here

No good reason exists to secretly photograph millions of Americans. But under the paper-thin pretense of identifying non-citizens, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched a chilling new surveillance tool to do that. The Mobile Fortify biometric cell phone app marks a behind-the-scenes escalation in DHS’ brutal immigrant roundups. It allows ICE and Border Patrol agents to photograph people by pointing a phone in their direction. No one can refuse being photographed, even if they are casually walking down a street. If their photo doesn’t match a record of an immigration violation, the app will be used to gather fingerprints, and no one is allowed to refuse that, either. The data will be stored for an astonishing 15 years, regardless of citizenship status, according to DHS’ privacy assessment. No credible reason exists for federal immigration officials to keep information on non-offending citizens and legal residents for so long. DHS says it will collect and store every photograph and fingerprint. Hits close to home This is a national policy with a local threat. Palm BeacWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times