There has been significant discussion recently regarding Flock safety cameras. Some have argued that East Palo Alto should disable these license plate readers, fearing they could be used by ICE for immigration enforcement. However, the facts are straightforward: ICE does not use Flock cameras, nor do they need them to carry out the types of enforcement actions recently seen in Chicago, Minneapolis, Memphis, and across the country.

The Context: During our December 2nd, 2025 meeting, the East Palo Alto City Council approved a three-year extension of our Flock camera license. The motion passed with a 3-2 vote: Councilmembers Martha Barragan, Webster Lincoln, and I voted in favor of the extension, while Councilmembers Ruben Abrica and Carlos Romero voted against it.

Split council approves new deal for license plate readers in East Palo Alto

The East Palo Alto City Council approved on Tuesday a three-year contract renewal of its Flock Automated License Plate Reader technology, looking past resident concerns over data privacy and immigration enforcement.

Palo Alto OnlineLisa Moreno

Flock has been instrumental in solving several high profile crimes (rape, attempted murder) in East Palo Alto since it was implemented in 2024. We are not sharing data with ICE or any federal agency.  You can find all the data on Flock here:

https://transparency.flocksafety.com/east-palo-alto-ca-pd

The notion that ICE requires Flock cameras is almost laughable. ICE possesses a vast array of significantly more powerful tools in its authoritarian toolbox; it is difficult to imagine a scenario where ALPRs would be used for enforcement.

Some things to consider:

ICE can stop anyone within 100 miles of the border to ask for papers. The "border" is defined as the Pacific Ocean. This includes EPA, which is well within this 100 mile limit:

Know Your Rights | 100 Mile Border Zone | ACLU

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects people from random and arbitrary stops and searches. Although the federal government claims the power to conduct certain kinds of warrantless stops within 100 miles of the U.S. border, important Fourth Amendment protections still apply.

American Civil Liberties Union

"A federal law says that, without a warrant, CBP can board vehicles and vessels and search for people without immigration documentation “within a reasonable distance from any external boundary of the United States.” These “external boundaries” include international land borders but also the entire U.S. coastline." 

East Palo Alto has an outstanding health clinic, the Ravenswood Family Health Center. Guess what? ICE has all the data on Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) recipients, including where patients live, immigration status, phone number, and IP address.

With ICE using Medicaid data, hospitals and states are in a bind over warning immigrant patients | CNN

The Trump administration’s move to give deportation officials access to Medicaid data is putting hospitals and states in a bind as they weigh whether to alert immigrant patients that their personal information, including home addresses, could be used in efforts to remove them from the country.

CNNLeonardo Cuello

It should go without saying that ICE knows the address of every DACA kid, asylum case, and everyone who has filed taxes. They can track anyone with a cell phone - not using Flock.

Arrests of asylum seekers in Milwaukee show shifting tactics by ICE agents

This story was produced and originally published by Wisconsin Watch, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. A Venezuelan couple arrested Oct. 23 during a routine check-in at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s…

PBS Wisconsin NewsPaul Kiefer, Wisconsin Watch

Immigration agents’ surveillance tools and tactics raise questions about civil liberties

Federal immigration enforcement officials are using a growing arsenal of surveillance tools to track immigrants and protesters, including facial detection apps and databases, cellphone trackers and drones. William Brangham speaks with 404 Media investigative journalist Joseph Cox for more on how this technology is being deployed on U.S. streets.

PBS NewsWilliam Brangham

ICE Can Now Spy on Every Phone in Your Neighborhood

Plus: Iran shuts down its internet amid sweeping protests, an alleged scam boss gets extradited to China, and more.

WIREDLily Hay Newman

East Palo Alto has secured our Flock cameras; we do not share data with immigration authorities. To date, Flock has been a vital tool for identifying stolen vehicles, apprehending criminals, and leveraging modern technology to keep our community safe. While effective, they are not the only ALPR (Automated License Plate Reader) provider on the market. Should we need to transition to a different vendor to maintain our standards of data integrity, we will not hesitate to do so.

Every policy involves tradeoffs, and Flock is no exception. While there is no legal expectation of privacy on public roadways, I support maintaining this system only as long as it remains a tool for safety. If documented instances of abuse arise, I will support discontinuing its use.

However, we must stop making policy decisions based on the misconception that Flock is a primary tool for federal immigration enforcement. The reality is far darker: ICE’s unconstitutional rampage through immigrant communities does not rely on ALPR data. They are targeting our neighbors regardless of this technology.

These actions affect everyone in East Palo Alto, including my own family. As an elected official, I am fully committed to doing everything in my power to protect our city from ICE and the current administration's overreach. Simultaneously, I am committed to public safety. We should not allow misplaced concerns over ALPR technology to prevent our police from using modern tools to solve crimes and protect our streets.