What is the Mobile Fortify app used for by DHS?

The Mobile Fortify app is used by federal immigration agents to identify people in the field, including undocumented immigrants and United States citizens.

Who is the vendor behind the DHS Mobile Fortify app?

NEC has been identified as the vendor for the Mobile Fortify facial recognition app.

What concerns have been raised about the Mobile Fortify app?

Concerns include the potential for devastating consequences from incorrect matches, such as wrongful detentions, and the fact that monitoring protocols are still being developed.

Home / Technology / DHS Facial Recognition App Details Revealed

DHS Facial Recognition App Details Revealed

29 Jan

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Summary

Department of Homeland Security revealed new details on Mobile Fortify app.
NEC identified as the vendor behind the facial recognition technology.
App deployed by CBP and ICE for identity verification in the field.

DHS Facial Recognition App Details Revealed

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently published comprehensive details regarding its Mobile Fortify facial recognition application. This app is utilized by federal immigration agents for identifying individuals encountered during field operations. The disclosures, including the identity of the app's vendor, were part of the DHS's mandated 2025 AI Use Case Inventory.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have both deployed Mobile Fortify, with CBP's operational use beginning in May of the previous year and ICE gaining access on May 20, 2025. NEC has been publicly identified as the vendor, with its Reveal facial recognition solution advertised for extensive database searches. A significant contract from 2020 to 2023 between NEC and DHS highlights the use of NEC's biometric matching products.

Both CBP and ICE state the app's primary function is rapid identity confirmation. ICE further notes its utility for field agents operating with limited information and needing to access multiple systems. The app collects facial images, fingerprints, and identity document photographs, transmitting this data to CBP for processing through government biometric systems that employ AI for matching. ICE indicates it does not directly manage the AI models, which are overseen by CBP.