Flock Safety license plate readers enable law enforcement immigration searches and data access
An audit by the Illinois Secretary of State found that U.S. federal agencies including Customs and Border Patrol accessed license plate reader data from Flock Safety systems. According to 404 Media, local police nationwide used Flock's system for immigration-related searches without formal authorization, providing federal enforcement 'side-door access' to surveillance data.
What happened
An audit by the Illinois Secretary of State's office found that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and other federal agencies were able to access data from Flock Safety license plate reader cameras showing driver locations.
According to a 404 Media investigation, local police around the country had been searching Flock's automatic license plate reader system for 'immigration'-related searches and as part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigations, giving federal law enforcement 'side-door access' to a tool without a formal contract.
The City of Evanston terminated its contract with Flock Safety following the privacy concerns identified in the audit. After Evanston removed all 18 cameras in September 2025, Flock reinstalled 15 to 18 cameras at former sites, prompting the city to cover the camera lenses with plastic sheeting.
Reported impact
Community organizations, including Desert Rising, are urging the University of Arizona to end its five-year contract with Flock Safety, citing concerns that the cameras record license plates, vehicle data, and physical features of vehicles stored in a searchable database sold to law enforcement.
Index analysis
Flock Safety operates a network of automated license plate readers installed by law enforcement and other government agencies across the United States to monitor vehicle movements and store data in centralized searchable databases.
The systems enable access to surveillance data by federal immigration enforcement agencies without formal authorization agreements, raising questions about data governance and oversight of automated license plate reader networks.
Governance controls
Evanston's legal department sent a cease and desist letter to Flock Safety demanding removal of reinstalled cameras. The city stated it did not authorize Flock to install replacement equipment after the original termination notice.
The Illinois Secretary of State's office has been in contact with Flock Safety regarding the audit findings, according to a Flock spokesperson.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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