From Monitoring to Targeting: How ICE’s Technology Extends Its Reach
ICE has signed contracts totaling up to $25 million to dramatically expand surveillance tools that monitor social media, track phones and vehicles, recognize faces, and even hack cellphones. While the agency has long used technology to locate people for deportation, the Trump administration is now openly saying it will use these capabilities against people who criticize or protest ICE.
A recent presidential memo directs federal law enforcement to examine a broad spectrum of political viewpoints, including opposition to ICE, critiques of capitalism, and criticism of police practices, as possible indicators of domestic terrorism. ICE officials have reinforced and claimed without substantiating evidence that protesters against the agency are linked to organized extremist groups. At the same time, the agency has expanded its definition of “violence” to encompass actions such as recording officers or disclosing their identities. At the same time, ICE agents themselves increasingly operate in masks concealing their identities during enforcement raids, prompting several states to push back and consider limits on masked federal agents at public events or protests.
The surveillance technologies ICE is adopting significantly bolster its capabilities. Social media monitoring systems can scan more than 8 billion posts each day and highlight speech the agency views as potentially threatening. Location tracking programs can chart individual movements and reveal who participates in public demonstrations. Aerial footage combined with facial recognition can single out protest participants, and recently reintroduced phone hacking tools may give ICE covert access to personal devices for extended periods.
Despite official statements, there is no verified evidence of an organized campaign of violence against ICE. The examples cited by the agency are more often strong criticism or heightened rhetoric that fall within the First Amendment. At the same time, DHS agencies exploit existing loopholes that permit the purchase of sensitive location data without warrants, effectively bypassing the privacy safeguards established by the Supreme Court.
Taken together, these developments show how ICE’s expanding surveillance tools can be used to compile detailed information on individuals engaged in political activity. Because current privacy laws have not kept pace with technological change, there is a risk that these powers may be applied to constitutionally protected speech rather
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Trump Administration Pauses Asylum Decisions
The federal government has temporarily paused all asylum decisions and launched a sweeping review of migrant immigration statuses following a recent high-profile shooting in Washington. Officials say the pause will remain in place while agencies reexamine screening procedures across asylum, humanitarian, and other immigration programs.
Under the directive, asylum interviews and case adjudications are halted nationwide, affecting thousands of current applicants. Agencies will also re-review certain previously issued immigration approvals, including green cards and humanitarian parole for individuals from countries identified for additional scrutiny. The administration has not provided a list of those countries nor a timeline for when reviews will conclude.
For AAPI communities and incoming immigrants from Asian countries, the review could lead to added uncertainty in visa processing and status verification, especially for those from regions that have historically been subject to heightened security checks. Lawyers and community groups note that even small administrative delays can disrupt travel, family reunification, student visa timelines, and employment-based immigration processes. The pause also raises concerns about consistent communication with applicants who may face language barriers or limited access to legal resources.
Supporters describe the pause as a precautionary security measure and note that federal immigration procedures have undergone similar evaluations under past administrations. Critics warn that the decision will prolong uncertainty for asylum seekers, deepen backlogs, and create instability for migrants who have already been vetted under existing rules.
State and local governments, legal service providers, and community organizations are preparing for potential impacts, including increased demand for legal assistance and humanitarian support. As the review begins, policymakers and immigrant communities are watching closely to see how long the pause lasts and how the government will balance security concerns with longstanding humanitarian obligations.
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Trump Administration Revokes TPS Status for Myanmar
The Trump administration recently announced it will terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Myanmar beginning January 26, 2026. This will impact nearly 4,000 residents, who will be forced back to a country engulfed by an ongoing civil war.
The administration cites “improvements” in the country’s governance and stability, as well as a “successful ceasefire.”
However, this stands in stark contrast to the US Mission to the United Nations’ own words just last month, citing grave concern about the state of the country, including the “detention and physical abuse of political opponents, the killing of unarmed civilians, sexual violence, and other appalling human rights violations and abuses.”
Myanmar joins a growing list of countries for which the US government has ended TPS, including Venezuela and Nepal. These actions are part of the administration’s larger goal of reducing the number of migrants in the country, and terminating what they believe to be a program that harbors gang members, fraudsters, as well as people taking advantage of American welfare.
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