Flock Safety Admits Federal Immigration Agents Have Direct Access to Tracking Data, Pauses Pilot

Flock Safety publicly admits that federal immigration agents have had direct access to automated license plate reader data through a previously undisclosed pilot program with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), giving federal authorities access to more than 80,000 Flock Safety cameras across the United States without the knowledge or consent of many local police departments.

The revelation comes after a local news outlet in Colorado discovers that CBP had accessed ALPR data in Flock’s database generated by customers who had not intended to share with federal authorities. Flock responds that this occurred through a “pilot program” where CBP sent requests for one-to-one data sharing to multiple jurisdictions, many of which accepted without understanding the implications.

Investigative reporting reveals multiple forms of federal access: “front door” access via direct sharing agreements; “back door” access where searches occur despite sharing not being explicitly enabled; and “side door” access where local police perform searches on behalf of federal immigration agencies using keywords like “ICE” or “immigration.” Nearly 3,000 immigration-related searches were conducted on Virginia’s Flock network alone over a 12-month period, with over 4,000 federal immigration lookups documented nationwide.

Critically, Flock never informed any of the thousands of law enforcement agencies it works with about the CBP pilot program, raising questions about the company’s transparency and commitment to local control over surveillance data. The disclosure contradicts Flock’s public statements emphasizing local authority over data sharing decisions.

On August 25, 2025, facing mounting criticism and community pushback, Flock announces it will pause all federal pilot programs due to “confusion and concerns” about the purpose of the investigations. The company promises that future federal users will be clearly identified and that moving forward, federal agencies will not be added to statewide or nationwide lookup capabilities without explicit disclosure.

Several cities take action in response: Denver city council unanimously rejects a Flock contract proposal; Austin declines to renew its city contract; and Evanston police revoke out-of-state access after discovering at least seven ICE searches in their data. The scandal exposes how private surveillance companies can create backdoor access to mass tracking data for federal enforcement, circumventing local democratic control.