Department of Homeland Security Plans to Use Facial Recognition to Track Transnational Gang Activity

The request for proposals for a “gang intelligence application” reflect the agency’s growing ambitions in using facial recognition and other new tech to identify and arrest criminals.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Mar 31, 2020

The Department of Homeland Security is asking for proposals for a cloud-based biometric facial recognition application that could assist law enforcement agents in tracking and dismantling transnational gang operations in the Washington, D.C. region, according to BiometricUpdate.com.

The solicitation for a “Gang Intelligence Application,” which was issued last week, shows how Immigrations and Customs Enforcement is beginning to explore even more ways to use facial recognition in its enforcement efforts, particularly when it comes to terrorists and gang activity.

DHS officials stated that the app will be based on a gang intelligence database that was developed to track and identify gang members in Lehigh County, Penn. The chosen vendor must present evidence that its application could be integrated with the “Noblis Horus facial recognition system,” a program used by DHS to track movements of gang members and their potential associations with other criminals.

In addition, the contractor must provide access control protocols for DHS investigators, provide analysis that could show patterns or evidence of gang activity and develop a data management plan for the new gang database. Information tracked in the system could include videos, documents, social media information, associates, weapons, locations and vehicles.

“The application shall ensure that [DHS investigators’] data is retained on three-year and five-year cycles to be compliant with both the state and federal regulations,” the DHS request reads. “The Contractor shall develop a dashboard overview of gang populations based on geography (county, state, region, or nation) as well as profiles on individual gangs, gang sets and gang members.”

Amidst the call for proposals, DHS is also planning an overhaul of a new recordkeeping system of biometric administrative records, which would exempt portions of the system from the Privacy Act of 1974, according to BiometricUpdate.com. Those exemptions would be granted in order to protect the identities of informants and protect the privacy of third parties, the agency says. The new regulations for the system go into effect on April 10.

ICE and DHS have already been the target of outrage from civil liberties groups. In November, The Project on Government Oversight filed suit against ICE after the agency did not “adequately respond” to the organization’s requests for documents related to facial recognition tech.

And just this March, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued DHS in hopes of forcing the agency to turn over its records relating to the use of facial recognition in airports. As the agency continues to expand its facial recognition ambitions, it is likely to face more scrutiny from the ACLU and groups like it.

“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 a blog post, referring to facial recognition. “There can be no meaningful oversight or accountability with such excessive, undemocratic secrecy.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • AI Is Now the Leading Cybersecurity Concern for Security, IT Leaders

    Arctic Wolf recently published findings from its State of Cybersecurity: 2025 Trends Report, offering insights from a global survey of more than 1,200 senior IT and cybersecurity decision-makers across 15 countries. Conducted by Sapio Research, the report captures the realities, risks, and readiness strategies shaping the modern security landscape. Read Now

  • Analysis of AI Tools Shows 85 Percent Have Been Breached

    AI tools are becoming essential to modern work, but their fast, unmonitored adoption is creating a new kind of security risk. Recent surveys reveal a clear trend – employees are rapidly adopting consumer-facing AI tools without employer approval, IT oversight, or any clear security policies. According to Cybernews Business Digital Index, nearly 90% of analyzed AI tools have been exposed to data breaches, putting businesses at severe risk. Read Now

  • Software Vulnerabilities Surged 61 Percent in 2024, According to New Report

    Action1, a provider of autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solutions, today released its 2025 Software Vulnerability Ratings Report, revealing a 61% year-over-year surge in discovered software vulnerabilities and a 96% spike in exploited vulnerabilities throughout 2024, amid an increasingly aggressive threat landscape. Read Now

  • Motorola Solutions Named Official Safety Technology Supplier of the Ryder Cup through 2027

    Motorola Solutions has today been named the Official Safety Technology Supplier of the 2025 and 2027 Ryder Cup, professional golf’s renowned biennial team competition between the United States and Europe. Read Now

  • Evolving Cybersecurity Strategies

    Organizations are increasingly turning their attention to human-focused security approaches, as two out of three (68%) cybersecurity incidents involve people. Threat actors are shifting from targeting networks and systems to hacking humans via social engineering methods, living off human errors as their most prevalent attack vector. Whether manipulated or not, human cyber behavior is leveraged to gain backdoor access into systems. This mainly results from a lack of employee training and awareness about evolving attack techniques employed by malign actors. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • 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.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.