Immigration officials use driver location data from local police departments across the country, including departments in Connecticut, to target immigrants. That’s according to documents made public by the ACLU of Northern California.
ICE uses a database of license plate numbers and location data collected by more than 80 law enforcement agencies, including several in Connecticut and on Long Island.
“This data essentially creates a digital dossier on every driver in Connecticut. So this is not some kind of an academic thing. There’s a real danger in this being shared broadly. This data will allow ICE to do what in our mind is unjust business,” said David McGuire, executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut.
In a joint statement, the mayor and police chief of Norwalk, Connecticut, said ICE obtained information on residents through a cloud-based law enforcement database. They said the city stands with immigrants and doesn’t have an agreement with the agency.
Representatives from other departments weren’t immediately available for comment.
