Court documents show ICE agents face daily arrest quotas and use a facial recognition app, Mobile Fortify, to locate and target individuals for deportation, raising privacy and community trust concerns.
During court proceedings in March 2026, federal immigration officers testified that they are subject to daily arrest quotas and rely on a surveillance tool called Mobile Fortify to identify and target individuals for deportation. The revelations come amid growing legal scrutiny over ICE’s use of technology and its impact on immigrant communities.
According to testimony reported by The Guardian and NPR, ICE agents are instructed to make eight arrests per day, with internal communications indicating a broader directive for 3,000 daily arrests and up to 1 million deportations nationwide.
“Agents described feeling pressure to meet quotas that sometimes conflicted with community trust and legal priorities,” said immigration policy analyst Migration Policy Institute. “These quotas raise serious questions about due process and the broader consequences for Latino families living in the U.S.”
Mobile Fortify: Tracking Faces and Homes
The court testimony also detailed the use of Mobile Fortify, a mobile surveillance app. Agents reported that the app allows them to:
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Scan faces using facial recognition technology
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Verify citizenship documents during operations
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Identify probable home addresses of targets
Data captured through Mobile Fortify can reportedly be stored for up to 15 years, raising privacy concerns for individuals who may never have committed a crime. One agent confirmed the app was routinely used to generate lists of individuals prioritized for deportation.
Civil rights organizations have expressed alarm. “The combination of strict arrest quotas and long-term facial recognition surveillance is unprecedented,” said National Immigration Law Center. “It disproportionately affects Latino and immigrant communities, and it has serious implications for public trust and safety.”
Legal and Community Implications
These disclosures have emerged alongside ongoing litigation challenging ICE’s surveillance practices. Critics argue that the use of facial recognition technology in routine operations not only threatens privacy but also creates fear in immigrant neighborhoods, discouraging cooperation with law enforcement and access to essential services.
“Immigrant communities should not have to live under constant surveillance or the threat of arbitrary arrest,” said civil liberties attorney Jacqueline Garcia. “The court testimony underscores the urgent need for oversight and accountability.”
As ICE faces increasing judicial scrutiny, experts say these revelations may influence policy reforms, congressional hearings, and legal standards for the use of technology in immigration enforcement.
