Technologies Used by ICE and Law Enforcement Agents

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After learning from a recent MPR News article about Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE)’s use of the Tangles and Webloc surveillance tools, I became more curious as a technology enthusiast. While doing some additional research, I came across a TechCrunch article by Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai that outlines the technologies powering law enforcement agencies to monitor crime and help keep streets safe.

According to CNN, ICE has already deported nearly 350,000 people in the first seven months of Trump’s administration, putting the agency on track for its highest deportation rate in a decade.

Below is a lists of surveillance technologies that powering ICE agency and other low enforcement agencies.

  • Cell-site simulators: These surveillance devices, also known as stingrays or IMSI catchers, are technology used by law enforcement to identify cell phone owners, that mimic cellphone towers, to locate, identify, and potentially intercept communications from nearby phones. These devices, which gather data from nearby phones, have been controversial due to privacy concerns and lack of transparency in their use. TechOps Specialty Vehicles (TOSV) company customized vans for law enforcement agencies.
  • Clearview AI facial recognition: According to Tech Crunch, this company is the most important to identify peoples faces using a large database of scraped internet photos. The ICE has reportedly signed millions of dollar contract with Clearview AI to support law enforcement arm Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)i n identifying victims and offenders in child exploitation cases and assaults against law enforcement.
  • Paragon phone spyware: Paragon Solutions is an Israeli spyware company that produces Graphite, a powerful phone surveillance tool sold to government and law-enforcement agencies. The spyware can infect phones through zero-click attacks, enabling access to messages, photos, and encrypted apps without user action. In 2025, WhatsApp disclosed that Paragon’s software had been used to target journalists and civil society members, triggering investigations and heightened scrutiny. While Paragon says it limits sales to allied governments and prohibits misuse, the cases have raised concerns about oversight and accountability. ICE’s $2 million contract with Paragon, paused for nearly a year under a Biden administration review, was later reactivated by the Trump administration, though it remains unclear how the spyware is being used or whether ICE or Homeland Security Investigations is operating it.
  • Phone hacking and unlocking: Magnet Forensics makes Graykey, a phone hacking and unlocking device that provide law enforcement agents the ability to connect a locked phone to them and unlock them and access the data inside of them. This allows HSI to recover digital evidence, processing devices, and generating forensic reports.
  • Cellphone location data: Referring to 404 Media, TechCrunch reports that ICE purchased access to the surveillance tools Tangles and Webloc from PenLink. These tools compile and analyze location data and social media information from mobile devices. According to Forbes, Webloc, likely covered by a redacted contract, monitors trends in mobile device movements by harvesting cellphone location data. This data is collected through software development kits (SDKs) embedded in everyday smartphone apps or via an online advertising process called real-time bidding (RTB), where companies bid to place ads on a user’s device based on demographic or location information. Data brokers then sell this information to government agencies, allowing authorities to access personal data without a warrant.
  • LexisNexis’ legal and public records databases: LexisNexis, a legal research and public records data broker, supports law enforcement agencies in investigations. Its program helps detect suspicious activity and monitor migrants. Through its Law Enforcement Investigative Database (LEIDS), agencies gain access to public records and commercial data to assist criminal investigations. A LexisNexis spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company is committed to responsible and ethical data use and partners with over 7,500 agencies, including ICE, to promote public safety and security.
  • Surveillance giant Palantir: Palantir, a data analytics and surveillance company founded by Peter Thiel, has a long-standing relationship with ICE and other law enforcement agencies, including an $18.5 million contract for the Investigative Case Management (ICM) database. 404 Media reported that ICM can filter individuals by immigration status, physical characteristics, criminal affiliations, location data, visa type, entry port, and country of origin, generating detailed reports. Palantir’s partnership with ICE has sparked controversy, with internal leaks justifying the collaboration. The company is also developing ImmigrationOS, a $30 million tool to streamline immigration operations, track visa overstays, and provide real-time visibility into self-deportations.

Acknowledgement: This summary was generated using AI writing tools as part of my experimental learning process. For more information, check out the original Tech Crunch article listed below.

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