Big Brother IS Watching You

Seems like every week brings more news of government surveillance. You’d think the right wing would be up in arms about this government overreach and invasion of privacy—but it’s their folks who are taking the photos and setting up the databases of protesters and immigrants and anyone else who happens to get captured on some law enforcement camera. The primary targets: 

• Protesters—captured on camera by local ICE and other federal agencies and some local police forces; 
• Travelers—captured on camera at airports; 
• Immigrants—anyone who applies for a green card, for asylum, for refugee status, plus anyone who is ever picked up by ICE or the Border Patrol, including children. 

Are all of these fed into a gigantic federal database?

No, says ICE. We just take photos and names and other information and keep the records. For at least 15 years. 

“Keeping the records” is just another name for maintaining a database.

The database/records are shared with local police. That means local police can take a photo of your face and send it to the feds to see who you are and whether ICE wants you arrested. Local police also share their photos with the feds. 

[NPR] “The tool in question is a mobile app called the ICE Task Force Module, which allows local police to scan the faces of people they stop in their communities.

“The app then compares the facial scan against more than 250 million government records. Those include the State Department’s visa records and records from the Traveler Verification Service, used by the Transportation Security Administration at airports to verify identities on international flights.

“Once police scan a person’s face, the app then instructs an officer either to ‘not detain or arrest,’ or it gives the officer a reference code to obtain more information from ICE.

“The photos captured by the app are then stored in an internal DHS system for 15 years, the document states.” 

Do police need a reason to stop and photograph someone? Or can they just walk around and take photos of anyone they suspect of … anything? As far as we know, there are no rules. 

Police already harass protesters. In Minnesota, local and/or federal law enforcement agents have:

• photographed faces and license plates at protests; 
• sent police to bang on the doors of protesters’ homes or to sit in cars outside protesters’ homes 
• told protesters, “we have a nice little database, and now you’re considered a domestic terrorist;”
• taunted protesters with “we know where you live”; 
• revoked airport security clearance of a legal observer. 

Some of this surveillance seems to be a straight-out violation of constitutional rights to privacy and Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches. Some of it may also be authorized by a law that is about to expire unless Congress votes to reauthorize it. The Brennan Center has an analysis of this law, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA): 

“Although Congress passed the law to facilitate surveillance of foreigners overseas, the government also uses Section 702 to spy on Americans — a practice that has resulted in widespread abuses and made the law deeply controversial. The upcoming reauthorization is an opportunity for Congress to enact long-overdue protections for Americans’ privacy.

“President Trump is encouraging Congress to renew Section 702 without such protections, known as a straight reauthorization. Lawmakers from both parties, however, have expressed opposition to an extension without reforms.” 

Section 702 is just one of the tools used to spy on Americans, and ending it would not end most of the abuses. Still, it would be one small step in the right direction. Will Congress find the backbone to vote down reauthorization? Ask them! 

Congressional websites have forms that you can use to send email, which usually is restricted to constituents. However, anyone can make a phone call. Here are the phone numbers for Minnesota Congress members and Senators. 

First Congressional District—Representative Brad Finstad (R)
Offices: 
DC –  (202) 225-2472
Rochester – (507) 577-6140
New Ulm – (507) 577-6151

Second Congressional District—Representative Angie Craig (D)
DC – 202-225-2271
Eagan – (651) 846-2120

Third Congressional District—Representative Kelly Morrison (D)
DC – (202) 225-2871

Fourth Congressional District—Representative Betty McCollum (D)
DC –  202-225-6631
St. Paul – 651) 224-9191

Fifth Congressional District—Representative Ilhan Omar (D)
DC – 202-225-4755
Minneapolis –  (612) 333-1272

Sixth Congressional District—Representative Tom Emmer (R)
DC – 202-225-2331
Otsego –  (763) 241-6848
Chaska – (952) 262-2999

Seventh Congressional District—Representative Michelle Fischbach (R)
DC – (202) 225-2165
Moorhead – (218) 422-2090
Willmar – (320) 403-6100

Eighth Congressional District—Representative Pete Stauber (R)
DC – (202) 225-6211
Hermantown –  (218) 481-6396

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D)
DC – (202) 224-3244
MN – (612) 727-5220

Senator Tina Smith (D)
DC – (202) 224-5641
MN – (651) 221-1016