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The tech arsenal that could power Trump’s immigration crackdown

Apps and ankle monitors that track asylum-seekers in real time wherever they go. Databases packed with personal information like fingerprints and faces. Investigative tools that can break into locked phones and search through gigabytes of emails, text messages and other files.These are pieces of a technology arsenal available to President Donald Trump as he aims to crack down on illegal immigration and carry out the largest deportation operation in American history. To do so, his administration can tap a stockpile of tools built up by Democrats and Republicans that is nearly unmatched in the Western world, according to an analysis by The New York Times.A review of nearly 15,000 contracts shows that two agencies — Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Citizen and Immigration Services — have spent $7.8 billion on immigration technologies from 263 companies since 2020.The contracts, most of which were initiated under the Biden administration, included ones for tools that can rapidly prove family relationships with a DNA test to check whether, say, an adult migrant crossing the border with a minor are related. (Families are often treated differently from individuals.) Other systems compare biometrics against criminal records, alert agents to changes in address, follow cars with license plate readers, and rip and analyze data from phones, hard drives and cars.The contracts, which ranged in size, were for mundane tech like phone services as well as advanced tools from big and small companies. Palantir, a provider of data analysis tools that was co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel, received more than $1 billion over the past four years. Venntel, a provider of location data, had seven contracts with ICE totaling at least $330,000 between 2018 and 2022.The Biden administration used many of these technologies for immigration enforcement, including in investigations of drug trafficking, human smuggling and transnational gang activity. How Trump may apply the tools is unknown, especially as the whereabouts of many immigrants are known and the government faces a shortage of officers and facilities to detain people.But Trump has already made clear that his immigration agenda is strikingly different from his predecessor’s. This past week, he announced a barrage of executive actions to lock down the borders and expel migrants and those seeking asylum.“All illegal entry will immediately be halted and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,” Trump said at his inauguration Monday.Tech products are almost certain to feature in those plans. Thomas Homan, the administration’s border czar, has discussed meeting with tech companies about available tools.“They’ll certainly use all tools at their disposal, including new tech available to them,” said John Torres, a former acting assistant secretary for ICE.A White House spokesperson declined to comment. ICE said in a statement that it “employs various forms of technology, and information to fulfill its mission, while protecting privacy, and civil rights and liberties in accordance with applicable laws.”The buildup of immigration tech goes back to at least the creation of the Homeland Security Department after the 9/11 attacks. Interest in the tools fueled a boom that is expected to grow under Trump. Leaders in Europe and elsewhere are also investing in the technologies as some adopt increasingly restrictive immigration policies.Many companies are racing to meet the demand, offering gear to fortify borders and services to track immigrants once they are inside a country.In the United States, the beneficiaries include the makers of GPS tracking devices, digital forensics tools and data brokers. Palantir and others won contracts with ICE for storing and analyzing data. Thomson Reuters, Lexis Nexis and credit rating companies provide access to databases of personal information that can help government agents find the homes, workplaces and social connections of citizens and noncitizens alike.Clearview AI, a facial recognition firm, had contracts worth nearly $9 million, according to government records. Cellebrite, an Israeli phone-cracking company, sold ICE about $54 million in investigative tools. The FBI famously used Cellebrite tools in 2016 to unlock the iPhone of a mass shooter in San Bernardino, California, to aid the investigation.Investors have taken note. The stock price of Geo Group, a private prison operator that sells monitoring technology to ICE, has more than doubled since Trump won November’s election. Cellebrite’s shares have also nearly doubled in the past six months, and Palantir’s shares have risen nearly 80%.One technology that may be used immediately in mass deportations can identify the exact location of immigrants, experts said.About 180,000 immigrants in the country without legal permission wear an ankle bracelet with a GPS tracking device, or use an app called SmartLink that requires them to log their whereabouts at least once a day. Made by a Geo Group subsidiary, the technology is used in a program called Alternatives to Detention. The program began in 2004 and expanded during the Biden administration to digitally surveil people instead of holding them in detention centers.Location data collected through the program has been used in at least one ICE raid, according to a court document reviewed by the Times. In August 2019, during the first Trump administration, government agents followed the location of a woman who was being tracked as part of the program. That helped the agents obtain a search warrant for a chicken processing plant in Mississippi, where raids across the state resulted in the detention of roughly 680 immigrants with uncertain legal status.The Trump administration also has access to private databases with biometrics, addresses and criminal records. Agents can obtain records of utility bills for roughly three-quarters of Americans and driver’s licenses for a third of Americans, according to a 2022 study by Georgetown University.These tools could potentially be used to track people high on ICE’s priority list, like those with a criminal history or people who do not show up for immigration court hearings. Investigators could use the databases to find someone’s automobile information, then use license plate readers to pinpoint their location.During the first Trump administration, ICE could access driver’s license data through private companies in states like Oregon and Washington, even after the state tried cutting off access to the information to the federal government, according to the Georgetown study.Torres, the former ICE official, said this information was critical for agents to find people.“We know people give false addresses,” he said. Agents can use “big data sharing to triangulate their location based on habits.”That has raised privacy concerns. “Privacy harms may seem theoretical on paper, but they’re never theoretical for vulnerable people on the front lines,” said Justin Sherman, a distinguished fellow at Georgetown Law’s Center on Privacy and Technology.Some immigration experts have questioned how much of this technology the Trump administration may use. Some tools are most relevant for targeted investigations, not for widespread deportations, said Dave Maass, the director of investigations at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties group.“What they are buying and what is actually useful may be totally different things,” Maass said. Regardless, he said, tech companies “are going to make a lot of money.”The New York Times analyzed government contract data from usaspending.gov. The data covered spending from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services from 2020 to the present. The Times filtered the data to technology-related contracts, using recipient information and contract description. The Times looked at money that had been spent, not just pledged, to calculate the total spending and total number of tech companies.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Food Lion named a top employer in the United States

Food Lion has been named a Top Employer in the United States by the Top Employers Institute. The omnichannel grocery retailer was honored with the Top Employer Index Certification, recognizing organizations that are committed to being great places to work through excellent human resources policies and practices.

Food Lion has more than 1,100 stores across 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Through its ‘Count on me’ culture, the company fosters a sense of belonging for 82,000 associates, promoting a supportive and inclusive environment for all.

“Food Lion is committed to being a best-in-class workplace,” said Linda Johnson, Chief Human Resources & Communications Officer, Food Lion. “Deliberate and relevant human resources practices lay the foundation for a strong company culture. Putting these policies into practice reaffirms the importance of caring for associates and setting them up for success. We are honored to be recognized as a leader for our human resources strategies. Our associates make Food Lion a great place to work and shop, and it is because of them that we are acknowledged for ongoing success.”

The Top Employers Institute program certifies organizations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six topics of human resources: People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Inclusion and Well-being.

Food Lion’s ongoing commitment in all six areas earned the company a Top Employer designation.

Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink said, “Amidst constant change—through technological advances, economic shifts, and evolving social landscapes—it is inspiring to see people and organizations rise to the challenge. This year, the Top Employers Certification Program highlights the dedication of our Top Employers as they continue to set the standard, consistently delivering world-class HR strategies and practices. These Top Employers strive to foster growth and well-being, all while enriching the world of work. We are proud to celebrate these people-first leaders and teams as the Top Employers for 2025!”

Castro scores 21, George Washington beats Saint Louis 67-61

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Rafael Castro had 21 points in George Washington’s 67-61 victory against Saint Louis on Saturday.Castro also had nine rebounds for the Revolutionaries (14-6, 3-4 Atlantic 10 Conference). Christian Jones scored 16 points and added six rebounds. Trey Autry shot 3 for 8 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line to finish with nine points.Robbie Avila led the Billikens (12-8, 5-2) in scoring, finishing with 13 points, four assists and three steals. Gibson Jimerson added 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals for Saint Louis. Kobe Johnson finished with 11 points.George Washington went into halftime ahead of Saint Louis 36-22. Castro scored 12 points in the half. Jones led George Washington with 11 points in the second half as their team was outscored by eight points over the final half but hung on for the victory.

George Washington plays Wednesday against Richmond at home, and Saint Louis hosts VCU on Tuesday.The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Trump storms Washington with hundreds of pardons — and he might not be done

Donald Trump granted only one pardon during his first year in office when he last served as president.Now, just days into his second term, Trump has averaged one pardon for every few minutes he’s been back in power.Follow live politics coverage hereThe pardons and commutations have stood out in Trump’s first week back in the White House, even as a flurry of executive orders covering everything from tech policy, diversity initiatives and the federal workforce have blanketed Washington. They have been a way for Trump, with a simple flourish of his pen, to reward groups of people who supported him.“There were campaign promises that President Trump made,” a Trump official said. “That’s what you’re seeing now. I’m not sure you’ll see rounds of pardons throughout [his term], but what I can say is it was important for him to keep his promises.”The vast majority came during Trump’s first day in office, when he surprised even some of his own supporters and aides by pardoning virtually every person charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — including those convicted of committing acts of violence against law enforcement.We’re looking to hear from federal government workers. If you’re willing to talk with us, please email us at [email protected] or contact us through one of these methods.But Trump didn’t stop there. On Tuesday, he pardoned Ross Ulbricht, a bitcoin pioneer who was sentenced to life in prison for creating and running Silk Road, a black market on the dark web that sold illegal drugs. Ulbricht’s cause had been championed by libertarians, and Trump pledged to pardon Ulbricht during his campaign.The next day, Trump pardoned two Washington, D.C., police officers who were convicted for their roles in the death of a young man on a moped in 2020.And on Thursday, the president pardoned 23 anti-abortion activists one day prior to the March for Life, an annual anti-abortion demonstration. Their cause was championed by conservative lawmakers who argued that President Joe Biden’s administration overreached in its prosecutions.Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was one of those advocates. He tweeted Tuesday evening urging the president to quickly pardon the activists. On Thursday, just prior to Trump issuing those pardons, Hawley spoke directly with the president on the matter.“When we talked, he was familiar with the general situation already,” Hawley said. “It’s very fair to say he was up to speed on it. And we had a really good conversation that left me with a very distinct impression that he was going to do what he ultimately did do.”Lauren Handy was one of the anti-abortion activists pardoned by Trump.Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images fileHawley said he noted the timing of Friday’s March for Life in his pitch to the president on why he should expedite the pardons.“I just said, ‘Listen, these folks have waited a long time,’” Hawley said. “Some of them are quite elderly, and this would be a great thing to do now. He left me then with the distinct impression that he was going to move sooner rather than later, which he did.”Presidents rarely use their king-like power of clemency in their first few days in office, typically saving the vast majority of the oft-controversial decisions until the very end of their term. Biden, whose White House touted that he had offered far more measures of clemency than his predecessors for groups of people like nonviolent drug offenders, saved his most controversial pardons for his final weeks in office, including pre-emptive pardons for some of his family members.During his first term, Trump issued only slightly more than two dozen pardons prior to losing the 2020 election. He issued dozens more during his final days in office.“He’s already broken with past presidents by doing so many in the first 48 hours,” said Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian National Committee, which advocated for Ulbricht’s pardon. “It’s incredible. I mean, he has set a new precedent.”Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, was released after spending the past three years in prison.Kayla Bartkowski / Getty ImagesTrump allies say not to expect a similar pardon spree in the coming weeks. But several others see an opportunity and want to promote their cause before a president who proclaimed “I love freeing people,” as McArdle recalled him saying in a conversation at Mar-a-Lago in December 2023.The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. plans to seek a meeting with Trump to deliver a list of proposed pardons compiled by various organizations, including the Congressional Black Caucus, former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. — one of the people his father wants Trump to pardon — said in an interview with NBC News on Friday.The younger Jackson, who served time for misappropriating campaign funds for personal use, sought a pardon from President Joe Biden but did not get one. Jackson suggested that if Trump meets with his father, it could be the 83-year-old civil rights leader’s final visit to the White House.“While Rev. Jackson strongly disagrees with the pardon granted by the president on Jan. 6 [offenses], Rev. Jackson acknowledges that … the president has an absolute right to pardon whom he chooses,” the former congressman said. “And Joe Biden had an absolute right to pardon only his family. And he had an absolute right to ignore everybody else.”Biden was expected to grant pardons to at least several former elected officials after fellow Democrats had lobbied him to take such action, according to a person with direct knowledge of the effort.Among them were former members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Jackson, this person said. The Biden allies who pushed for them to receive clemency were stunned when he didn’t grant it before leaving office; some of them viewed his inaction as selfish, given Biden made sure to issue pre-emptive pardons for members of his family minutes before Trump was sworn in as his successor.Meanwhile, one lawyer who represented several clients seeking clemency from Biden said part of their calculus was that being rejected by Biden could make their cases more appealing to Trump.Former Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., is also among those seeking clemency from Trump through unofficial channels. Menendez has used allies to get his case in front of the president to ask for a sentence commutation or pardon, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. Menendez sought and failed to obtain a pardon from Biden before he left office.Menendez has been advised to ask Trump directly for clemency before his sentencing that’s scheduled for Wednesday, according to one person familiar with his efforts. The crux of the former senator’s argument would be that he has been politically targeted by the Justice Department like Trump believes he was, this person said.Menendez pleaded not guilty to federal corruption but was convicted in July. He resigned from the Senate in August and is facing potentially years in prison. Menendez’s wife, Nadine Menendez, faces similar charges and has pleaded not guilty. Even before Trump won the November election, the former senator told people close to him that he may have a better chance of getting a pardon from him, NBC News has reported, given his contentious relationship with Biden and his position that his prosecution was political.At the same time, Menendez joined all Senate Democrats in voting to convict Trump during his two impeachment trials. He has reviewed Trump’s clemency in 2020 for former Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, who was serving a 14-year prison sentence after he was convicted on federal corruption charges, to help inform his efforts to receive one from the president as well, NBC News has reported.Advocates know to appeal to Trump’s disdain for federal law enforcement, particularly after he was charged in multiple jurisdictions during Biden’s time in office. When announcing his pardon of Ulbricht, Trump wrote on social media: “The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me.”Trump was first turned on to Ulbricht’s case amid an effort to court libertarian support, as McArdle laid out, saying that Ric Grenell, who was recently tapped as one of Trump’s special envoys, reached out to start a dialogue on how Trump could win this demographic.Jan. 6 defendants Gregory Purdy, Edward Jacob Lang and Robert Turner, celebrate their release outside the D.C. Central Detention Facility on Jan. 21.Roberto Schmidt / AFP – Getty ImagesDuring her meeting at Mar-a-Lago, McArdle said that pledging to free Ulbricht from prison “would make a big impact.” He ultimately promised to do so at last year’s Libertarian Party convention.“I even talked with his staff … right after the inauguration, and they assured me that the president was going to deliver on his promise,” McArdle said. “And sure enough, it was like 36 hours after he’d been sworn in.”Grenell and the White House did not return a request for comment.McArdle suggested another pardon that may be on the horizon: Roger Ver, a former California resident and bitcoin investor facing charges of fraud and tax evasion. Trump ally and confidant Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has taken up Ver’s cause.There is a formal process for receiving a presidential pardon as laid out by the Justice Department. It involves submitting a petition through the Office of the Pardon Attorney, which then reviews the case before determining whether to elevate it to the president. But that process is not always followed.Hawley, however, said his sense is that “there’s a fleet of lawyers who are working on” the pardon cases that get before the president.“I imagine his team of lawyers has spent a lot of the last two and a half months since his election working on these different things,” he said. “I mean, to draft an executive order, you don’t just do that in 10 minutes. You’ve got to be very, very careful.”A senior Senate GOP aide said that in his first few days, Trump “kind of hit everyone” he needed to with his offers of clemency, and it remains to be seen if there will be more.“He got the pro-lifers,” this person said. “They got the libertarians their guy. They got the J6ers their guy. I don’t know if there’s anyone left really who’s a priority. But who knows.”