Homeland Security developing smart glasses with facial recognition for ICE agents

The US Department of Homeland Security is developing smart glasses for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents that could identify individuals using facial recognition and walking gait analysis, according to budget documents reviewed by journalist Ken Klippenstein. The "ICE Glasses" project aims to equip agents with real-time biometric identification capabilities in the field. The glasses would capture video and compare it against existing biometric databases to identify "illegal aliens" from a distance. Budget documents state the project will "deliver innovative hardware, such as operational prototypes of smart glasses, to equip agents with real-time access to information and biometric identification capabilities in the field." The DHS wants to deploy the glasses by September 2027. A DHS lawyer speaking anonymously told Klippenstein: "It might be portrayed as seeking to identify illegal aliens on the streets, but the reality is that a push in this direction affects all Americans, particularly protestors." Civil liberties groups have expressed concern about the technology's potential for widespread surveillance. The development comes amid reports that the FBI was directed by the Department of Justice to compile lists of groups demonstrating "anti-Americanism." The project follows recent revelations that ICE and Border Patrol agents in six states have been using Meta's AI smart glasses without official authorization, potentially violating DHS rules. An investigation by The Independent last month documented this unauthorized use. Congress has reportedly been notified of the ICE Glasses initiative but has not yet commented publicly on the program.