I have become convinced in recent weeks that we are not taking the Department of Homeland Security’s massive data collection and aggregation machine seriously enough. The agency has invested heavily in recent years in expanding its own high-tech data collection and surveillance systems, bought into large public data aggregation services, joined various data interoperability schemes, and intensified its monitoring of immigrants through new ‘alternatives to detention’ technology.
A recent article in the Border Chronicle about Estefania Castañeda Pérez, a PhD candidate at UCLA, discusses her refusal to have her photo taken by CBP as she crosses from Tijuana into San Ysidro. Everyone assumes they have to comply, but it's not required. Of course, they can spoil your day if you refuse. CBP says all photos are discarded 12 hours later. I'm a tad skeptical. https://www.theborderchronicle.com/p/the-everyday-mistreatment-of-transfronterizo?s=r
A recent article in the Border Chronicle about Estefania Castañeda Pérez, a PhD candidate at UCLA, discusses her refusal to have her photo taken by CBP as she crosses from Tijuana into San Ysidro. Everyone assumes they have to comply, but it's not required. Of course, they can spoil your day if you refuse. CBP says all photos are discarded 12 hours later. I'm a tad skeptical. https://www.theborderchronicle.com/p/the-everyday-mistreatment-of-transfronterizo?s=r
FASCINATING. I did not know this. Thanks, Jim.
NBC affiliate in San Diego had this on the database of immigration lawyers, activists and journalists in 2019. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/source-leaked-documents-show-the-us-government-tracking-journalists-and-advocates-through-a-secret-database/3438/