ICE investigators used a private utility database covering millions to pursue immigration violations

[Nevilledog]

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if ICE isn't authorized to compile their own data (they're not) who authorized using CLEAR? cc: @DavidManOnFire

ICE investigators used a private utility database covering millions to pursue immigration violations
ICE’s use of the vast database offers another example of how government agencies have targeted commercial sources to access information they are not authorized to compile on their own. One researcher...
washingtonpost.com
11:38 AM · Jun 13, 2021

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/02/26/ice-private-utility-data/


U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have tapped a private database containing hundreds of millions of phone, water, electricity and other utility records while pursuing immigration violations, according to public documents uncovered by Georgetown Law researchers and shared with The Washington Post.

ICE’s use of the private database is another example of how government agencies have exploited commercial sources to access information they are not authorized to compile on their own. It also highlights how real-world surveillance efforts are being fueled by information people may never have expected would land in the hands of law enforcement.

The database, CLEAR, includes more than 400 million names, addresses and service records from more than 80 utility companies covering all the staples of modern life, including water, gas and electricity, and phone, Internet and cable TV.

CLEAR documents say the database includes billions of records related to people’s employment, housing, credit reports, criminal histories and vehicle registrations from utility companies in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is updated daily, meaning even a recent move or new utility sign-up could be reflected in an individual search.

*snip*

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Article is from Feb 26th, just saying :)

I'd imagine they'd look for instances where someone just suddenly starts (or started in the past) showing up in the DB with records at age 24 (or around there). Very simple search parameters. Yes you have a lot of false positives but gives you a starting point. Then you look at the names, correlate with some other databases ... were they in college, for example? Did they ever get a visitors visa?

This would be a very powerful tool for finding people who 'suddenly appeared on the grid' later in life than would normally be expected.

And it's shady as hell.

I notice the article doesn't seem to know 'when it started' so possible that its use pre-dates Trump.

[Nevilledog]

2. I know the article's date, but I missed it when it was published.

Found it interesting in light of the surveillance/secret subpoena of metadata stuff going on.




P.S. You a member of the Calendar Police now?

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. Hardly ... I barely even know what day it is most of the time

[uponit7771]

4. So yeah, no privacy and the government is past having the benefit of the doubt