Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has awarded a $5.7 million contract for AI-driven social media surveillance software called Zignal Labs, which is also used by the Israeli military and the Pentagon. This contract aims to enhance ICE's social media monitoring capabilities, raising concerns about the implications for immigrant rights and privacy. Advocates warn that such surveillance tools may specifically target political speech and dissent among immigrant communities.

The article discusses First Wap, a surveillance technology company based in Jakarta, which employs a system called Altamides to covertly track phone users without leaving traces or requiring user interaction. Utilizing the telecom protocol SS7, First Wap's technology allows for real-time location tracking and movement pattern detection, raising significant privacy concerns.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has signed a $5.7 million contract to use Zignal Labs' AI-driven social media surveillance software, expanding its capabilities to monitor online activity for immigration enforcement. This move has raised significant civil liberties concerns, particularly regarding the agency's increasing reliance on social media to target immigrants and political dissenters. Advocates criticize the lack of accountability and transparency in the use of such surveillance technologies.