At least two U.S. police departments have enabled an NCIC hotlist populated exclusively by ICE that flags vehicles associated with immigration violators, according to records EFF obtained through public records requests.
The Immigration Violator Hotlist Is ICE's Private Watchlist
Flock Safety ALPR systems let agencies subscribe to NCIC hotlist topics via a drop-down menu in the admin interface. Most topics like "Stolen Vehicle" or "Missing Person" are populated and maintained by the FBI. The "Immigration Violator" topic is different: only ICE can enter or modify records in that file, per the NCIC operator manual. Those records include administrative warrants issued by ICE agents without judicial review. When a local agency selects this topic, every passing plate gets compared against ICE's list of vehicles associated with aliens who have violated the Immigration and Nationality Act or who have been deported for serious crimes. ICE itself does not receive the alert, but the local agency may contact ICE or act under a 287(g) agreement.
Sparks Police Prohibits Immigration Enforcement Yet Uses the List
Sparks Police Department's ALPR transparency portal lists immigration enforcement as a prohibited use. But EFF's records show Sparks has the Immigration Violator hotlist enabled. Blue Island Police Department in Illinois also has it checked. Nine other agencies that responded to EFF's requests have NCIC hotlists enabled but the Immigration Violator box unchecked. This mismatch between stated policy and actual configuration is exactly the kind of evidence that should surface during contract renewal debates.
How to Check If Your Local Agency Has the Box Checked
Start with AtlasofSurveillance.org or EyesonFlock.com to see if your agency uses Flock Safety ALPRs and maintains a transparency portal. If the portal doesn't disclose hotlist topics, file a public records request using EFF's template language. Ask for a screenshot or CSV export of the NCIC topics selected in the Flock admin controls. Several agencies have already released this information; others have refused. If you get a denial, escalate to local press or your city council. Elected officials hold the contract lever, and "uncheck the box" is the simplest fix they can demand.
If your agency's contract is up for renewal, unchecking the box is the easy fix, but the infrastructure remains ready to flip back on with the next policy change.
Source: Are Your Local Police Using Flock Safety ALPRs to Scan for Immigrants?
Domain: eff.org
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