US Immigration Agency Boosts Firepower and Surveillance Spending

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) is significantly increasing its investments in weaponry and surveillance technology. According to procurement records reviewed by AFP, the agency is spending tens of millions of dollars on firearms, ammunition, body armor, and sophisticated monitoring systems. This surge comes as ICE is tasked with deporting a record number of unauthorized migrants from the United States.

Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term on January 20, 2025, ICE has placed over $70 million in purchase orders for small arms, ordnance, and related accessories. Comparatively, from January 20 to October 20, 2024, the agency spent only $9.7 million in total on these items. Notably, in September 2025 alone, ICE ordered $10 million worth of firearms and magazines from Quantico Tactical Incorporated, alongside an additional $9 million from Geissele Automatics for long guns and accessories. The agency also procured more than $10 million in body armor and related gear during the same month.

This extensive acquisition of weaponry coincides with a substantial investment in surveillance technology. In September 2025, ICE allocated $3.75 million for software and services from Clearview AI, a company specializing in facial recognition technology. Over the past nine months, the agency has also acquired products from Magnet Forensics and Cellebrite, both of which create tools to extract data from mobile devices. Additionally, ICE has obtained access to location data from millions of mobile phones through Penlink and signed a $30 million contract with Palantir for the development of “Immigration OS,” a platform aimed at targeting unauthorized migrants.

ICE has also revived a $2 million contract with Paragon, an Israeli spyware provider. This contract had been under review by the previous Biden administration due to concerns it posed national security risks, following an executive order issued in 2023 prohibiting the procurement of potentially dangerous spyware.

Concerns Over Surveillance Practices

The agency’s surveillance capabilities are expanding, with proposals being solicited for a new social media monitoring center. A request for proposals published in early October sought contractors to provide a team of nearly 30 analysts to monitor social media for “real-time and mission critical person-specific information.” While surveillance is a key element of law enforcement, advocates have raised alarms about the potential infringement on free expression.

Cooper Quintin, a Senior Staff Technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, expressed concerns about the implications of such monitoring. He noted, “If people know that ICE is on social media looking for anybody who demonstrates any sort of allegiance to their [home] country, that’s going to chill people’s willingness to say anything publicly.” The possibility of acquiring data through third-party vendors also raises questions about privacy, as it enables agencies to surveil large populations without warrants.

Soaring Budget Fuels Spending

ICE’s recent spending spree has been made possible by a substantial budget allocation from Congress. The Republican budget passed in July 2023 provides ICE with an operating budget of $75 billion over four years, averaging $18.8 billion annually. This marks a significant increase from the previous fiscal year’s budget of $9.6 billion.

While other government departments face cutbacks amid a government shutdown, ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, have largely escaped such constraints. A spokesperson confirmed that the Office of Detention Oversight, responsible for ensuring standards in detention facilities, has been shut down, indicating a shift in priorities within the agency.

As ICE continues to expand its capabilities, the implications for immigrants and the broader public remain a topic of heated debate, raising questions about the balance between security and civil liberties in the current political climate.