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Mobile Fortify - Wikipedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mobile Fortify is a mobile app used by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on their government-issued phones. The app allows agents to take a photo, ostensibly from their work-issued mobile phone, in order to gather biometrics, including contactless fingerprints and faceprints, for the purpose of identifying an individual and their potential immigration status.[1][2]

History

In June 2025, use of Mobile Fortify by ICE was uncovered through leaked emails and the user manual, reported by 404 Media. The app is internally developed, and details of the parent company and developer are unknown.[1][2] Later that month, several senators demanded transparency around the app and its origins, and that ICE stop using it.[3][4] A second letter was sent again in November, after hearing no response to the previous letter from ICE.[5]

Technology

Unlike other facial recognition software, Fortify uses federally linked databases. By contrast, Clearview AI uses public social media databases for biometric scanning. Federal databases include DHS's automated biometric identification system (IDENT), containing more than 270 million biometric records, and Customs and Border Protection's Traveler Verification Service. The State Department's visa and passport photo database, the FBI's National Crime Information Center, National Law Enforcement Telecommunications Systems, and CBP's TECS and Seized Assets and Case Tracing System (SEACATS).[1][2]

Oversight

Several senators urged ICE to stop using the app for fear of infringing on fourth amendment and first amendment rights, and requested details on who developed the app, when it was deployed, whether the app was tested for accuracy, and policies and practices governing its use. On June, 2025, they sent an open letter to Todd Lyons, ICE acting director, signed by senators Cory Booker, Chris Van Hollen, Ed Markey, Bernie Sanders, Adam Schiff, Tina Smith, Elizabeth Warren, and Ron Wyden.[6][7] On November 3rd, a second letter was sent to the ICE by senators, after not receiving answers to questions from the previous letter deadlined for October 2nd.[8]

Criticism

Mobile Fortify, and ICE's use of similar biometric identification technologies (such as Mobile Identify, an app similar to Mobile Fortify to be used by local or regional law enforcement to assist in immigration enforcement [9]) has faced scrutiny from a variety of digital rights organizations, politicians, and news outlets.[10][11][12][13]

Facial recognition technologies are known to produce false-positives and generally unreliable results, especially on those with darker skin tones.[14][1] ICE has already previously mistakenly arrested a U.S. citizen under the belief he was illegally in the country, and later stated that he "could be deported based on biometric confirmation of his identity" prior to his release.[13]

U.S. representative Bennie Thompson, chair of the House Homeland Security Committee has previously commented that "ICE officials have told us that an apparent biometric match by Mobile Fortify is a ‘definitive’ determination of a person’s status and that an ICE officer may ignore evidence of American citizenship—including a birth certificate—if the app says the person is an alien," and that "Mobile Fortify is a dangerous tool in the hands of ICE, and it puts American citizens at risk of detention and even deportation," [15][16]

On Jan 19, 2026, 404 Media reported on a case where a woman, identified in court documents as "MJMA", was scanned by Mobile Fortify twice in the same interaction, and two entirely different names were provided by the app. According to the Innovation Law Lab, who's attorneys are representing MJMA, both of the names were incorrect.[17][18]

ICE has stated that they will not allow people to decline to be scanned by Mobile Fortify, and that photos taken, even those of U.S. citizens, will be stored for 15 years,[19] something that has been criticized primarily because ICE has not performed a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for Mobile Fortify, the right to decline other forms of biometric verification to the U.S. government is often available under other circumstances,[20] and the 15 year window is viewed as unnecessarily large.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Cox ·, Joseph (26 June 2025). "ICE Is Using a New Facial Recognition App to Identify People, Leaked Emails Show". 404 Media.
  2. ^ a b c Kimery, Anthony (17 July 2025). "ICE's facial recognition app raises alarms over expansion of domestic surveillance | Biometric Update". www.biometricupdate.com.
  3. ^ Sandiford, Michele (15 September 2025). "Lawmakers call on ICE to halt use of facial recognition application". Federal News Network.
  4. ^ "Wyden, Merkley and Markey Demand ICE Stop Using Mobile Facial Recognition App | U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon". www.wyden.senate.gov.
  5. ^ Kimery, Anthony (4 November 2025). "Senators demand ICE halt use of Mobile Fortify app amid growing privacy concerns | Biometric Update". www.biometricupdate.com.
  6. ^ "Wyden, Merkley and Markey Demand ICE Stop Using Mobile Facial Recognition App | U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon". www.wyden.senate.gov.
  7. ^ Sandiford, Michele (15 September 2025). "Lawmakers call on ICE to halt use of facial recognition application".
  8. ^ Kimery, Anthony (4 November 2025). "Senators demand ICE halt use of Mobile Fortify app amid growing privacy concerns | Biometric Update". www.biometricupdate.com.
  9. ^ Cox ·, Joseph (2025-11-04). "DHS Gives Local Cops a Facial Recognition App To Find Immigrants". 404 Media. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  10. ^ Maass, Dave (2025-11-26). "Rights Organizations Demand Halt to Mobile Fortify, ICE's Handheld Face Recognition Program". Electronic Frontier Foundation. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  11. ^ a b "EPIC, Coalition Call on ICE To End Its Use of Facial Recognition in the Field". EPIC - Electronic Privacy Information Center. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  12. ^ Joffe-Block, Jude (2025-11-08). "Immigration agents have new technology to identify and track people". NPR. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  13. ^ a b Llanos, Jackie (2025-04-21). "Feds blame U.S. citizen for his arrest under suspended immigration law • Florida Phoenix". Florida Phoenix. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  14. ^ Cagle, Marissa Gerchick, Matt (2024-02-07). "When it Comes to Facial Recognition, There is No Such Thing as a Magic Number | ACLU". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved 2026-01-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Belanger, Ashley (2025-10-29). "ICE's forced face scans to verify citizens is unconstitutional, lawmakers say". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  16. ^ Cox ·, Joseph (2025-10-29). "ICE and CBP Agents Are Scanning Peoples' Faces on the Street To Verify Citizenship". 404 Media. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  17. ^ Cox ·, Joseph (2026-01-19). "ICE's Facial Recognition App Misidentified a Woman. Twice". 404 Media. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
  18. ^ "12-03-2025 (Volume 2) M-J-M-A v. Wamsley, et al. FINAL". www.documentcloud.org. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
  19. ^ Cox ·, Joseph (2025-10-31). "You Can't Refuse To Be Scanned by ICE's Facial Recognition App, DHS Document Says". 404 Media. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  20. ^ "Facial Comparison Technology | Transportation Security Administration". U.S. Department of Homeland Security Transportation Security Administration. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
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