Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are reportedly taking surveillance to a new level, with some seen wearingMeta AI smart glassesto record and monitor communities during raids.
The cutting-edge devices, equipped with voice-controlled artificial intelligence, internet connectivity, and livestreaming capabilities, are raising alarms among civil liberties experts, activists, and members of the public who fear the footage could be used to target protesters and vulnerable communities.
Investigations reveal that ICE and Border Patrol agents in at least six states have been wearing these smart glasses since the start of President Donald Trump's second term. The AI-powered devices allow agents to capture video and photographs, while also analysing what the wearer is seeing in real time. The glasses can livestream directly to the internet and could potentially transmit images intofacial recognition softwareor law enforcement databases.
Although Homeland Security has confirmed it does not have a contract with Meta for these devices, and policy prohibits personal devices from recording, agents are apparently using them during deployments. Civil liberties experts warn that these unregulated recordings could escalate surveillance of communities,creating a chilling effect on public protests and civil participation.
Legalexpertsemphasise that taking video in public is generally legal, but the combination of AI, livestreaming, and facial recognition introduces unprecedented privacy concerns. The glasses, unlike standard government-issued body cameras, could allow agents to track individuals across multiple locations without oversight.
Courts have already addressed similar concerns. Last month, a Los Angeles judge ordered that anyone using Meta smart glasses to record inside her courtroom must delete the footage or face contempt charges. The case highlighted how easily AI devices can circumvent existing privacy protections. With ICE agents now wearing similar technology, advocates worry that there is little accountability for recordings outside official protocols.
The use of smart glasses follows a broader trend of technological monitoring in immigration enforcement. DHS has long deployed body cameras and facial recognition software, particularly during protests or raids.
Over the past year, nearly 400,000 immigrants were arrested in operations that occasionally turned violent, sparking criticism from civil rights organisations.
Unlike regulated body cameras, the personal Meta glasses agents are reportedly using fall outside formal oversight, leaving their content unregulated. Experts warn that combining AI analysis with location tracking and online connectivity could create a real-time network of citizen surveillance unprecedented in US law enforcement history.
The revelation of ICE agents wearing Meta smart glasses has sparked outrage online and in civil rights circles. Social media users have speculated about livestreamed footage and the potential for data sharing across government agencies. Civil liberties groups argue that these practices risk violating the spirit of privacy protections, even if they remain technically legal.
Source: International Business Times UK
