CBP deploys Clearview AI facial recognition system for tactical targeting
CBP deployed Clearview AI facial recognition technology for tactical targeting operations in its intelligence units, using a database of over 60 billion internet-scraped images. Civil liberties advocates raised concerns about the lack of transparency, public consent, and safeguards for searches potentially involving US citizens, prompting legislative action to restrict the technology's use.
What happened
CBP signed a contract worth $225,000 for annual access to Clearview AI, a facial recognition tool that compares photos against over 60 billion images scraped from the internet.
The service is integrated into Border Patrol's headquarters intelligence division and the National Targeting Center for 'tactical targeting' and 'strategic counter-network analysis' rather than isolated investigations.
The agreement does not specify what kinds of photos agents will upload, whether searches may include US citizens, or how long uploaded images and search results will be retained.
Reported impact
Civil liberties groups and lawmakers have questioned whether face-search tools are being deployed as routine intelligence infrastructure without clear limits, transparency, or public consent.
Senator Ed Markey introduced legislation to bar ICE and CBP from using face recognition technology altogether, citing concerns that biometric surveillance is being embedded without adequate safeguards.
Index analysis
Clearview AI's business model relies on scraping photos from public websites at scale, converting images into biometric templates without the knowledge or consent of the people photographed.
The contract anticipates analysts handling sensitive personal data including biometric identifiers and requires nondisclosure agreements for contractors, but does not clarify authorization limits for searches involving US citizens.
Governance controls
The agreement requires nondisclosure agreements for contractors with access to the system.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.