California Covert License Plate Reader Controversy

Privacy and advocacy organizations, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Imperial Valley Equity and Justice, are urging United States===California Governor Gavin Newsom to dismantle a network of covert license plate readers in Southern United States===California. An Associated Press investigation revealed that the United States===United States Border Patrol, an agency under the United States===United States Customs and Border Protection, has been using these hidden readers to feed data into a predictive domestic intelligence program. This program monitors millions of American drivers to identify and detain individuals based on 'suspicious' travel patterns, often leading to referrals to local law enforcement for minor traffic violations. The United States===Drug Enforcement Administration also shares its license plate reader data with the United States===United States Border Patrol. Critics argue that these large-scale surveillance systems may violate Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, despite courts generally upholding license plate reader collection on public roads. The United States===Caltrans, which issued permits for some of these devices, and the offices of Gavin Newsom, the United States===United States Customs and Border Protection, and the United States===Drug Enforcement Administration have been contacted for comment.