U.S. Federal Agencies Expand Warrantless Commercial Surveillance and Location Data Purchases
The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are expanding use of commercially available surveillance and data-tracking capabilities, prompting renewed scrutiny over privacy, civil liberties, and oversight. DHS is reportedly preparing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on surveillance technology in 2026, including a $1 billion blanket purchase agreement with Palantir and additional investments in AI-enabled monitoring, mobile tracking, and tools from vendors such as Cellebrite and Paragon Solutions. Advocacy groups and lawmakers have warned that these programs broaden the government’s ability to scan faces, track cell phone activity, and monitor both immigrants and U.S. citizens while governance mechanisms fail to keep pace.
The FBI separately confirmed it has resumed buying Americans’ location and other commercially available data from brokers, reviving a practice the bureau had previously said it was not actively pursuing. Director Kash Patel told lawmakers the agency uses purchased data in ways it says are consistent with the Constitution and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, while Sen. Ron Wyden characterized the practice as a warrantless workaround to Fourth Amendment protections. Reporting on DHS also indicates declining transparency, with Privacy Impact Assessment filings falling sharply and the department’s inspector general accusing the agency of obstructing audits tied to biometric data management and immigration enforcement, reinforcing concerns that federal surveillance capabilities are growing faster than meaningful oversight.
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How this story unfolded
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Sen. Wyden criticizes FBI data purchases as warrantless surveillance
Following Patel's testimony, Senator Ron Wyden condemned the FBI's purchase of brokered location data as a workaround to Fourth Amendment protections, while the FBI said the practice is lawful under the Constitution and ECPA.
FBI director confirms bureau resumed buying commercial data
FBI Director Kash Patel testified that the bureau has resumed purchasing commercially available data, including Americans' location information, for federal investigations. The disclosure marked the first public confirmation since 2023 that the FBI was again buying data from brokers.
DHS inspector general accuses agency of obstructing audits
DHS's inspector general accused the agency of obstructing audits related to biometric data management and immigration enforcement, adding to concerns about inadequate oversight of surveillance programs.
DHS files no Privacy Impact Assessments this year amid expansion
As DHS surveillance capabilities expanded, critics noted that Privacy Impact Assessment filings had dropped sharply and that none had been filed in 2026, raising oversight concerns.
DHS plans major 2026 surveillance technology spending
The Department of Homeland Security prepared to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on surveillance technology in 2026, including a $1 billion blanket purchase agreement with Palantir and additional investments in AI-enabled surveillance and mobile tracking tools.
Lawmakers introduce Government Surveillance Reform Act
Members of Congress introduced the Government Surveillance Reform Act to require government agencies to obtain warrants before purchasing Americans' data from brokers.
FBI stopped buying Americans' location data after 2023 disclosures
The FBI had not publicly confirmed any continued purchases of commercially available location data since 2023, indicating the practice had been halted or paused following earlier scrutiny.
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US Agencies Acknowledge Buying Commercial Data for Location Tracking
US government agencies are facing renewed scrutiny over their use of **commercially available data**—including data derived from the online advertising ecosystem—to track people without a warrant. Reporting cited in one account says **Customs and Border Protection (CBP)** used “commercially available marketing location data” tied to the same ad-tech systems that power targeted advertising, reinforcing long-standing concerns that surveillance advertising infrastructure can be repurposed for government monitoring. The reporting frames the issue as direct evidence that location data harvested for ad targeting can also support state surveillance. At the same time, **FBI Director Kash Patel** told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the bureau purchases commercially available information, after being pressed on whether the FBI buys data that could be used to track Americans. Sen. **Ron Wyden** argued that purchasing such data without a warrant is a workaround to **Fourth Amendment** protections and renewed calls for legislative limits, including the **Government Surveillance Reform Act**. Together, the reports show that both border and federal law enforcement agencies are relying on the commercial data broker and ad-tech ecosystem for intelligence and location-tracking purposes, intensifying the policy debate over privacy, warrant requirements, and the broader security implications of pervasive data collection.
Mar 23, 2026
US and UK Immigration Agencies Seek Expanded Surveillance and Data-Analytics Capabilities
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a federal request for information seeking **commercial “Big Data and Ad Tech”** products—explicitly including *ad-tech compliant and location data services*—to “directly support investigative activities,” signaling continued interest in leveraging commercial data-broker and advertising-technology ecosystems for law-enforcement use. Related reporting highlights longstanding concerns that US agencies can sidestep Fourth Amendment warrant requirements by purchasing sensitive data about residents, and notes broader DHS/ICE enforcement activity that has increased scrutiny of surveillance practices and the downstream impacts of ad-tech tracking on affected communities. Separately, the UK Home Office’s Border Security Command is pursuing up to **£100M** in procurement for a “maritime situational awareness system” designed to autonomously detect, track, and identify small boats and other non-cooperative vessels, including fusing data from land-based and **BVLOS drones** into a managed “Coastal Maritime ISR Service.” In parallel, a viral “ICE List” site claimed to publish leaked personal data on thousands of DHS employees, but analysis found the database largely relies on **publicly available self-disclosed information** (notably LinkedIn), underscoring operational security risks from personnel oversharing even when no breach is involved.
Mar 21, 2026
Trump Administration Expands Intelligence Access to Domestic Law Enforcement Data
The **Trump administration** is moving to loosen long-standing restrictions on sharing domestic law enforcement information with the **CIA and other intelligence agencies**, potentially opening access to databases containing hundreds of millions of records, including FBI case files, banking records, and investigative material involving law-abiding Americans. Officials said the changes are being justified as part of efforts to target drug cartels and other transnational criminal groups that the administration has designated as terrorists, but the process has reportedly unfolded with **little transparency, limited legal debate, and minimal notice to Congress**, raising significant civil-liberties concerns. The broader policy debate over U.S. surveillance powers is reflected in parallel criticism of **Section 702** reauthorization efforts, with privacy advocates arguing that existing authorities already enable excessive collection and weak safeguards for Americans' data. Proposed reforms in the **SAFE Act** are being presented as an attempt to impose stronger limits on surveillance and intelligence access, underscoring concern that the government is expanding intelligence collection and information-sharing authorities faster than oversight and privacy protections are being strengthened.
Mar 21, 2026