JFL v ICE (Data Broker FOIA)
Back in August 2021, Just Futures Law (JFL) has filed a complaint under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to compel the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release documents showing how the agencies buy and use sensitive information from data brokers to target immigrants. After receiving many documents from ICE between 2021-2024 regarding their contracts with and use of databroker technology, JFL filed a second FOIA lawsuit in spring 2025 to obtain updated documents related to ICE's use of databroker technology from the company LexisNexis. The production documents from both FOIA lawsuits are available below.
Key Filings
LEGAL COMPLAINT
FACT SHEET
Productions can be accessed here and here
Related Resources
FOIA DOCUMENTS
Please find below some of the documents exhibited we accessed during our FOIA investigation and are referenced in our factsheet. More FOIA records can be accessed here.
Homeland Security Investigations, Harrisburg/York PowerPoint Presentation
Receipt for purchase of Clearview AI licenses on June 19, 2019
Combined Intelligence Unit Memo on Unattributable Online Browser Licenses
Internal e-mail thread among staff of the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL)
Internal e-mail thread on Memo re: Assessments of State Laws Restricting the Sharing of DMV Data
Internal CRCL e-mail thread referencing vulnerability of facial recognition technology
Receipt for purchase of additional Clearview AI licenses on September 5, 2019
AD of Operational Technology and Cyber Division, HSI, to all personnel
Internal e-mail from the Unit Chief for the HSI Cyber Crimes Unit
Memo on use of Facial Recognition from National Lead Development Center
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California Activists Challenge Clearview AI on Biometric Surveillance
Joint Press Release — March 9, 2021
Pressure mounts on DHS to stop using Clearview AI facial recognition
The Hill — March 19, 2021