Story perspectives

DHS Gives $25M Iris-Scanner Contract, Sparks Civil Liberty Alarm

5/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Department of Homeland Security awarded a $25 million no-bid contract to BI2 Technologies for more than 1,500 iris scanners and related software.
ICE used a scanner to identify Norelly Mejías Cáceres in a Chicago raid, resulting in her deportation to Venezuela.
Law professor Nicole Hallett, EFF technologist Cooper Quintin, and Sheriff Justin Smith warned that rapid iris-matching cameras risk illegal arrests, broader surveillance, and require a balance test.

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Story summary

The Department of Homeland Security awarded a $25 million no-bid contract to BI2 Technologies for more than 1,500 iris scanners and related software.
ICE used a scanner to identify Norelly Mejías Cáceres in a Chicago raid, resulting in her deportation to Venezuela.
Law professor Nicole Hallett, EFF technologist Cooper Quintin, and Sheriff Justin Smith warned that rapid iris-matching cameras risk illegal arrests, broader surveillance, and require a balance test.