The NPR Politics Podcast · NPR

ICE is keeping tabs on American citizens

March 10, 2026·17 min·1 clip
Automatic license plate readers pick up data on everyone, allowing DHS to locate most cars it wants to find.
NPR reporters investigate how the Department of Homeland Security and ICE are using new surveillance technologies and data-sharing practices to track not only undocumented immigrants but also U.S. citizens. The episode details tools like automatic license plate readers, Palantir's Elite app, and administrative subpoenas to tech companies, exploring their impact on privacy and First Amendment rights.

As heard by us

A clear, grounded look at how DHS surveillance can extend into the privacy and speech rights of U.S. citizens.

DHS surveillance comes into focus through Emily, a constitutional observer in Minneapolis who drove around her neighborhood looking for ICE activity and worries about federal retribution.

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Why you'd press play

Want to know how an ordinary drive can become part of a government surveillance question? Press play.

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