1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep concern and outrage over the U.S. Border Patrol's covert nationwide surveillance program that monitors millions of American drivers. This program, which uses license plate readers and predictive intelligence algorithms to identify and detain individuals based on their travel patterns, is a flagrant violation of our constitutional rights and the principles of transparency that should govern our democratic institutions. The scale and reach of this program are alarming. A vast network of cameras is scanning and recording vehicle license plate information across the country, far beyond the border regions where one might expect Border Patrol to operate. An algorithm then flags vehicles based on their routes and travel patterns, leading to drivers being pulled over, often under the pretext of minor traffic violations, and subjected to aggressive questioning and searches. What's even more disturbing is the deliberate secrecy surrounding this operation. The Border Patrol has gone to great lengths to keep the details hidden, even to the point of dropping charges against individuals to avoid revealing information about the program in court. This lack of transparency is unacceptable in a democratic society and raises serious questions about the agency's accountability. The program's expansion over the past five years, reaching deep into the interior of the United States, represents a troubling mission creep for the Border Patrol. By collaborating with other agencies and accessing data from private license plate reader companies, they have effectively transformed into a domestic intelligence operation, far beyond their original mandate. This mass surveillance of Americans' movements is not only un-American but also likely unconstitutional. It infringes on our Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures, and our First Amendment rights to freedom of association and movement. Innocent people are being detained and searched based solely on travel patterns deemed 'suspicious' by an algorithm, a clear violation of due process. I urge you to take immediate action to: 1. Demand a full, public disclosure of the details of this surveillance program. 2. Call for congressional hearings to investigate the extent and legality of these practices. 3. Introduce or support legislation to prohibit such widespread, warrantless surveillance of American citizens. 4. Ensure that the Border Patrol's activities are strictly limited to their mandated scope and do not infringe on the civil liberties of Americans living and traveling within the country's interior. The American people deserve to know the full extent of how their movements are being monitored and used against them. We must act now to protect our constitutional rights and restore the transparency and accountability that are fundamental to our democracy. I look forward to your swift and decisive action on this critical issue.