Story perspectives

Oregon Senators Propose Bill to Ban ICE Facial Recognition

2/10/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon introduced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Out of Our Faces Act to ban federal immigration agencies from using facial recognition and biometric technologies.
The bill is co-sponsored by other lawmakers and targets DHS surveillance, including ICE's use of facial recognition without consent.
DHS remains under investigation for facial recognition and data collection, and lawmakers push for restrictions to protect civil liberties.

History

Historical Context

The U.S. Privacy Act of 1974 was enacted to address rising concerns over government surveillance, particularly by agencies like the FBI and NSA. In 2025, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley introduced the ICE Out of Our Faces Act to limit the Department of Homeland Security's use of facial recognition technology, reflecting ongoing tensions between national security and civil liberties in the context of ICE's controversial practices.

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Story summary

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon introduced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Out of Our Faces Act to ban federal immigration agencies from using facial recognition and biometric technologies.
The bill is co-sponsored by other lawmakers and targets DHS surveillance, including ICE's use of facial recognition without consent.
DHS remains under investigation for facial recognition and data collection, and lawmakers push for restrictions to protect civil liberties.

1 / 2