S.T.O.P. Condemns Biden-Mexico ‘Smart Border’ Deal As ‘Dumb Idea’

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View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Condemns Biden-Mexico ‘Smart Border’ Deal As ‘Dumb Idea’ (New York, NY, 7/13/2022) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a privacy and civil rights group, condemns President Biden’s $1.5 billion “smart border” deal with Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador as a “dumb idea.” In recent years, U.S. officials have dramatically expanded use of biased, error-prone, and invasive surveillance technologies, including drones, facial recognition, and artificial intelligence. SEE: AP News - Mexico agrees to invest $1.5B in ‘smart’ border technology https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-immigration-climate-and-environment-120f8a3fc440e3b2cccce6100e65b912 Vox - The “smarter” wall: How drones, sensors, and AI are patrolling the border https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/5/16/18511583/smart-border-wall-drones-sensors-ai “A ‘smart border’ is a dumb idea,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “Wasting billions of dollars on invasive tech will do nothing to address the realities of immigration. Rather than trying to turn the southern border into a high-tech fortress, we need to meet our legal obligation to protect those fleeing violence abroad. Past technologies have not only been biased and error-prone, but they have put Americans in harm’s way, like when Customs and Border Protection’s facial recognition data was hacked just a few years ago.” SEE: The Nation - Why Biden’s ‘Virtual’ Border Could Be Worse Than Trump’s Wall https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/biden-immigration-surveillance/ The Guardian - US tests of robotic patrol dogs on Mexican border prompt outcry https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/04/us-tests-of-robotic-patrol-dogs-on-mexican-border-prompt-outcry Earlier this year, S.T.O.P. condemned expanded immigration surveillance under the Biden Administration, including a $7.2 million contract allowing ICE to purchase 10,000 smartphones configured to track migrants processed at the southern border with GPS and facial recognition. SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns Expanded Biden Admin Surveillance, Warrantless FBI Searches, ICE Tracking Devices https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2022/5/2/stop-condemns-expanded-biden-admin-surveillance-warrantless-fbi-searches-ice-tracking-devices The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color. -- END -- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn Copyright © 2021 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.