1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to revoke permits allowing federal agencies to install automated license plate readers along California's border highways and to prevent any future approvals for this surveillance infrastructure. Federal agencies including Customs and Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration have installed more than 40 covert ALPRs along highways in San Diego and Imperial counties, often disguised as traffic barrels. These agencies are bypassing California state law, which prohibits state and local agencies from sharing ALPR data with out-of-state agencies involved in immigration enforcement, by deploying their own surveillance systems. Documents released by Caltrans in response to a June 2025 public records request confirm that CBP and DEA have applied for permits for these devices. This surveillance infrastructure threatens both residents and migrants in our communities, putting them at risk of harassment, abuse, detention, and deportation simply for traveling between Imperial Valley, San Diego, and Yuma. The timing is particularly concerning given that USBP Chief Greg Bovino has returned to the El Centro sector after reportedly leading a brutal campaign against immigrants and U.S. citizens in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis. California has established clear protections against immigration surveillance for good reason. Allowing federal agencies to circumvent these protections by installing their own covert surveillance systems undermines the intent of state law and erodes trust in our public infrastructure. Our highways should serve the free movement of residents, not function as tools for tracking and targeting communities. I am asking you to investigate and release all relevant permits for federal ALPR installations, revoke existing permits, initiate removal of these surveillance devices, and refuse to approve any further permits for ALPRs or tactical checkpoints for USBP, CBP, or DEA. California must not allow federal agencies to exploit our public roads to bypass state law and harm our communities.