Cities Forced to Funnel License Plate Data to Federal Surveillance Program
8 hours ago
- The Trump administration is using the 1980s-era HIDTA grant program to funnel local automated license plate reader (ALPR) data into federal surveillance centers under the White House's jurisdiction.
- Data from Flock, Axon, and other ALPR cameras is aggregated on federal servers and shared among federal, state, and local law enforcement, often without direct contracts with ALPR companies.
- This system bypasses local restrictions on ALPR data use and raises significant privacy and transparency concerns, as it allows federal access without clear oversight.
- HIDTA is overseen by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and has funded similar programs like the Hemisphere call records database.
- Some states, like Georgia, require cities to sign agreements funneling ALPR data to HIDTA, with data then accessible through aggregation software.
- The DEA's National License Plate Reader Program (NLPRP) also accesses HIDTA data, potentially enabling mass tracking of law-abiding citizens.
- Records show HIDTA databases integrate data from multiple vendors, and the DEA has argued in court that HIDTA records are not subject to FOIA.
- The Trump administration gave HIDTA an additional $277 million in funding in July.