ISTANBUL

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has significantly expanded its use of intrusive surveillance technologies, including spyware and phone-hacking tools from Israeli companies, the Washington Post reported Thursday.

ICE has purchased technology from two Israeli firms during its recent acquisition expansion as the agency transforms into the nation's most funded law enforcement body.

Paragon Solutions, whose software enables remote phone infiltration, and Cellebrite, which provides tools to unlock seized devices and organize their contents automatically, were among the technologies with which the immigration agency signed contracts.

Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, an associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, told Anadolu that "there's been a proliferation of data sharing and of an increase in the technologies that are used by ICE agents."

Agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Social Security Administration, are seeing their data, "typically off-limits," accessed for enforcement purposes, she noted.

Field agents are now equipped with iris scanners, facial recognition software and license plate readers, said Putzel-Kavanaugh. "So, what that means for privacy, how that could implicate US citizens, begs a lot of questions.”

Immigration officials maintain close ties with Israel on tactics, training, technology

US immigration officials have cultivated extensive collaboration with Israel's government through trips, joint training and technology transfers, Responsible Statecraft reported.

The partnership has included high-level law enforcement visits to Israel, with ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents developing ties with Israeli counterparts to exchange information on tactics and technology, according to the report.

The US Homeland Security Department (DHS) has organized conferences with Israeli security officials, conducted joint training sessions and provided grants to Israeli officers for research on countering "violent extremism," a former senior DHS official told the outlet.

ICE officers have regularly trained alongside Israeli police at Israel's National Urban Training Center, the report noted.

The Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Program has brought together DHS and Israel's National Security Ministry to "develop advanced technologies for homeland security needs," while ICE officials participated in eight Anti-Defamation League trips between 2013 and 2016, according to the outlet.

The revelations come as ICE intensifies operations under US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, which has sparked controversy following fatal shootings of Americans by federal agents in Minnesota and widespread protests against enforcement tactics.