S.T.O.P. Condemns $4.5M ICE Iris Scanner Contract

S.T.O.P. condemns a $4.5M contract between ICE and BI2 Technologies for iris scanning software for use by officers in the field on their smartphones.

View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Condemns  $4.5M ICE Iris Scanner Contract (New York, NY 1/29/2026) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, condemns a $4.5M contract between ICE and BI2 Technologies for iris scanning software for use by officers in the field on their smartphones. According to reporting by the Boston Globe, ICE signed the contract last fall, gaining unlimited access to B12’s vast database of iris scans, the largest built for law enforcement use in the nation. SEE: The Boston Globe - ICE ups investment in surveillance technology with $4.5 million contract with Mass. tech firm https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/28/metro/ice-surveillance-data/ “Before killing Renee Good, Jonathan Ross recorded her on his cellphone,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Communications Director Will Owen. “Cellphone-based biometric tools are becoming a regular part of ICE’s terror in the field, and agents have directly stated they are using them to enter people into surveillance databases. You can change your cellphone password, but you can’t change your iris. This agency should not exist in the first place, let alone have a multibillion-dollar slush fund for endless tracking.” SEE: CNN - Cell phone footage raises new questions about ICE agent’s tactics before fatal shooting https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/09/us/ice-shooting-minneapolis-renee-good-cell-phone-invs Futurism - ICE Is Scanning Civilians’ Faces, Telling Them They’re Being Entered Into a Terrorism Database https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ice-database-facial-scan In June, S.T.O.P. condemned ICE’s use of the Mobile Fortify App, a new contactless, real-time facial and fingerprint recognition app that identifies people by pointing a smartphone camera at their face or fingers. Since passage of Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” ICE has invested heavily in biometric surveillance, location tracking software, license plate readers, drones, and other invasive spyware targeting immigrant communities and protesters. SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns ICE Real-Time Facial Recognition App https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2025/6/26/stop-condemns-ice-real-time-facial-recognition-app?rq=mobile%20fortify The Washington Post- The powerful tools in ICE’s arsenal to track suspects — and protesters 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.   -- END -- Copyright © 2025 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.