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S.T.O.P., LatinoJustice PRLDEF Report Finds NY Police Search Flock for ICE
(New York, NY, 8/25/2026) – Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, and LatinoJustice PRLDEF, a national civil rights organization, released Flock Favors: Police Across New York Search Flock on Behalf of ICE, a report detailing how state and local police across New York have searched Flock’s nationwide license plate database on behalf of ICE, including to locate drivers suspected of no crime.
The report documents explicit ICE-related searches by police in Nassau County, Beacon, Glen Cove, and Cheektowaga, as well as search patterns involving the New York State Intelligence Center, State Police, and Lancaster police that suggest additional immigration searches may have been hidden behind generic labels.
The report release coincides with New York’s deadline to terminate formal and informal 287(g) agreements with ICE—whereby local law enforcement agencies pledge their willingness to assist ICE with civil immigration matters—under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act. S.T.O.P. and LatinoJustice PRLDEF call on New York State to enforce the law by requiring police to fully document every license plate database search; limit searches to specified purposes; delete license plate data after 48 hours unless preserved by warrant or as evidence; and prohibit data sharing for civil immigration enforcement.
SEE: Report - Flock Favors: Police Across New York Search Flock on Behalf of ICE
https://www.stopspying.org/flock-favors
“New York State is entering an increasingly dystopian era of roadside surveillance,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Research Director Eleni Manis. “Flock’s nationwide network gives ICE a back door into local police systems, letting immigration agents sidestep sanctuary protections and track people who have committed no crime. New York must close that door by limiting when plate data can be searched, how long it’s kept, and where it’s shared.”
“New Yorkers shouldn’t have to worry that driving to work, dropping their kids off at school, or simply going about their day could allow ICE to track where they are, said Andrew Case, Supervising Counsel, LatinoJustice PRLDEF. “While New York has made clear that local police should not be doing ICE’s bidding, police can still use this technology to quietly share information with immigration enforcement. We need clear rules to make sure these tools are not used to track and target our immigrant communities.”
SEE: Stateline - Worried about surveillance, states enact privacy laws and restrict license plate readers
https://stateline.org/2026/01/08/worried-about-surveillance-states-enact-privacy-laws-and-restrict-license-plate-readers/
Key Findings Include:
- State and local police in New York have searched Flock’s license plate database on behalf of ICE, entering reasons like “Immigration (civil/administrative)” for drivers suspected of no crime;
- Officers appear to have concealed some—possibly many—immigration searches by providing vague or nonexistent reasons for their searches;
- New York’s Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, enacted as part of this year’s budget bill, bans formal and informal cooperation with ICE starting August 25;
- The NYS Attorney General’s new Office of Immigrant Trust is tasked with enforcing the ban, but can only hold officers accountable for searches it can see. New York State must require police to document their license plate reader searches;
- S.T.O.P. and LatinoJustice PRLDEF also call for statewide limits on law enforcement use of license plate reader tracking; a 48-hour limit on license plate reader data retention; and data-sharing restrictions.
Earlier this month, S.T.O.P. condemned Flock’s newly announced safeguards as a “crisis PR stunt,” stating the company’s new internal auditing tools and 7-day data retention period fall far short in protecting civilians from abuse of the technology. In 2023, S.T.O.P. released Roadblock to Care, a report detailing how automated license plate readers and other surveillance tools can track people seeking abortion and gender-affirming care across state lines.
SEE: Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns New Flock AI Tools, Calls Company Safeguards "Crisis PR Stunt"
https://www.stopspying.org/content-input/stop-condemns-new-flock-ai-tools-calls-company-safeguards-crisis-pr-stunt?rq=flock
Report - Roadblock to Care: Barriers to Out-of-State Travel For Abortion and Gender-Affirming Care
https://www.stopspying.org/roadblock-to-care
The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color.
About LatinoJustice
For over five decades, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has used and challenged laws to create a more just and equitable society. We transform harmful systems, empower our communities, fight for racial justice, and grow the next generation of líderes. To learn more, visit www.LatinoJustice.org
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