FedScoop

Department of Homeland Security Privacy Probe Will Focus on Biometric Tracking by ICE, OBIM

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General has opened an audit into DHS privacy practices, focusing initially on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Office of Biometric Identity Management to examine how personally identifiable information and biometric data are collected, managed, shared and secured. The probe responds to allegations that DHS components have used facial recognition and other technologies broadly—potentially implicating civil liberties—and seeks to assess compliance with law, regulation and department policy. The IG’s review was prompted in part by questions from Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine about immigration-related procurement and privacy risks. Separately, the Air Force has banned personnel from wearing Meta AI smart glasses in uniform over operational security concerns, reflecting wider military unease about always‑on wearable devices that capture and cloud‑store sensitive data.