World Immigration News

Invisible Gatekeepers: DHS’ Growing Use of AI in Immigration Decisions

Release Date: 2025-05-09
Media: Immigration Impact
Summary: On April 30, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its 2024 inventory of unclassified and non-sensitive AI use cases, revealing 105 active applications across immigration agencies. These AI tools are already widely used in areas like asylum screening, border surveillance, and fraud detection. Compared to 39 cases in 2023, this year’s report reflects increased transparency following new federal guidance.

Key numbers:

CBP: 59 AI use cases (71% tied to law and justice)

ICE: 23 use cases (65% law and justice)

USCIS: 18 use cases (39% law and justice)

DHS HQ: 5 use cases

Examples include facial recognition for identity checks, social media monitoring tools like Babel, and investigative tools like ICE’s Email Analytics system. In total, 16 AI systems use facial recognition, and 27 are marked as “rights-impacting,” meaning they could affect civil liberties, privacy, or access to government services.

Concerns are growing over transparency, accountability, and due process—especially when AI decisions, such as labeling an asylum claim as fraudulent, are not clearly disclosed or explained. With immigration lawyers facing increasingly automated systems, questions remain about appeal processes and oversight.

This article is the first in a series examining DHS’s use of AI in immigration enforcement, aiming to explore its implications, risks, and the need for more transparent and accountable systems.
Tags: USA

News Articles including "USA"

Released on

Article Title