'Trust Us' (With Your Face)
THE CLAIM: Bloomberg News reports that federal immigration agents are now using a facial recognition application that pulls from a U.S. government biometric database containing over 1.2 billion face images. The implication, of course, is 'national security' or 'border control,' the usual catch-all phrases. THE EVIDENCE: The article, citing federal records, specifies a 1.2 billion image database.
For perspective, the FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) system, which includes fingerprints, iris scans, and facial recognition data, already holds millions of images, some from non-criminal sources like driver's licenses. The 'Next Generation' appears to be perpetually upgrading its definition of 'next.' Our own research indicates that facial recognition systems can match an individual
from a database of a billion images with remarkable, if terrifying, accuracy, often in mere seconds. (ACLU, 2018) THE CONTRADICTIONS: The 1.2 billion image figure is staggering, and the article suggests it's primarily for 'immigration agents.' Yet, this technology’s inherent potential for mission creep is legendary. Consider the FBI's facial recognition program, which by 2016 had access to photos
of over half of all American adults, often without their explicit consent for law enforcement use. (Government Accountability Office, 2016) The idea that a system this powerful will remain narrowly focused on 'immigration' is as believable as a politician promising tax cuts for everyone. The phrase 'federal immigration agents' conveniently sidesteps the larger implications for domestic