department of homeland security flag

ACLU Files Lawsuit Against DHS To Turn Over Records on Facial Recognition Use at Airports

After the DHS did not respond to a January request for documents on how it is deploying facial recognition, the ACLU is now seeking legal recourse.

Following previous legal actions to get the federal government to turn over documents related to its use of facial recognition technology and surveillance, the American Civil Liberties Union announced a new lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU and the New York Civil Liberties Union, asks a federal court to order the DHS, ICE, TSA and CBP to release records about how those agencies are using facial surveillance at airports and what their plans are to roll out the technology in the future.

According to a March 12 ACLU blog post, records and documents include the government’s contracts with airlines, airports and companies on the technology they use; policies concerning how the government acquires and retains biometric information; and the government’s analyses of how accurate and effective facial recognition tech is.

The ACLU originally submitted a Freedom of Information Act request in January, but says its lawyers were stonewalled when seeking the sensitive records.

“That we even need to go to court to pry out this information further demonstrates why lawmakers urgently need to halt law- and immigration-enforcement use of this technology,” ACLU staff attorney Ashley Gorski wrote in the blog post. “There can be no meaningful oversight or accountability with such excessive, undemocratic secrecy.”

This latest legal action is reminiscent of an October ACLU lawsuit against the Justice Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI, which requested records of how those agencies use facial recognition. That lawsuit, too, was filed after the Justice Department and other agencies did not respond to a Freedom of Information Act request for those documents.

More than 20 million travelers entering and exiting the U.S. have had their faces scanned by CBP as of June 2019, according to the ACLU. Airlines have previously announced partnerships with the government to create facial recognition systems, including Delta, JetBlue and United Airlines, and more than 20 have committed to using the technology.

The ACLU echoed its concerns about the accuracy of facial recognition when it comes to people of color and women. A December report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal agency, found that a majority of commercial facial recognition systems were less accurate when identifying people of color, specifically African-Americans, Native Americans and Asians.

Even if the ACLU believed facial recognition technology was accurate, its deployment at airports raises “profound civil liberties concerns,” Gorski wrote.

“The public urgently needs more information about how the government and airlines are using this information, what privacy protections exist, and the extent to which CBP’s and TSA’s use of the technology discriminates on the basis of race or other characteristics,” Gorski wrote.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.