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CBP Agents Spied on Family, Aided Traffickers
13 Aug
Summary
- Agents allegedly used government databases for personal reasons.
- Information was reportedly shared with suspected drug traffickers.
- Hundreds of incidents were tracked between 2009 and 2022.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have allegedly engaged in widespread misuse of sensitive government databases. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) files reveal that officers reportedly exploited systems, which draw on license plate readers, facial recognition, and smartphone data, to violate individual privacy.
Reported abuses from 2009 to 2022 include agents using databases to contact individuals for personal reasons, such as asking flight attendants for dates or providing divorce-related intelligence to a third party. Tracking coworkers' cellphones using ad-tech location data was also alleged.
Out of 300 incidents documented, many were categorized as minor misconduct or handled internally. However, 78 incidents were assigned to criminal investigators, and 21 were withheld due to potential criminal proceedings, indicating serious wrongdoing. This misuse occurs as the Department of Homeland Security operates one of the world's largest surveillance networks.
