Rights9/21/2026

U.S. Surveillance Network Encompassed Data on More Than 300 Million People

U.S. authorities have significantly expanded the surveillance technologies used to enforce immigration laws. Federal agents gained access to addresses, movements, social media, and biometric data not only of immigrants, but also of U.S. citizens—an issue that has led to lawsuits and scrutiny.

Key facts

•Published: September 17, 2026
•Updated: September 21, 2026
•Scope of the databases: more than 300 million people
•Surveillance spending: $425 million
•Contract with Paragon Solutions: $2 million
•Four federal lawsuits were filed

How the Surveillance System Works

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security integrated government and commercial databases with tools for facial recognition, location tracking, and social media analysis. According to the report, thousands of federal agents can search for information on more than 300 million people by name, vehicle license plate, or photograph. The contractors mentioned include Palantir, Deloitte, NEC, and other technology companies.

Why a Legal Dispute Arose

At least four Maine residents claim they were subjected to surveillance and threats after lawfully documenting the actions of federal agents. Two of the plaintiffs alleged in an ongoing civil rights case that the authorities unlawfully used their vehicle license plate numbers and biometric data, violating rights guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Department of Homeland Security denies that any violations occurred and says it acts in accordance with the Constitution.

The Decision on the Oregon Arrests

In February, a federal judge ruled that warrantless arrests involving the use of Palantir’s ELITE application were unconstitutional. The judge found that the agents justified the flight risk posed by some of the detainees only after the arrests, rather than on the basis of reasonable suspicion that existed beforehand. The source does not specify the case number, the court’s exact name, or the final outcome of the ongoing proceeding.

Spending and the Israeli Connection

Over the past year, the Department of Homeland Security spent a record $425 million on surveillance technologies—17% more than in the preceding year. The value of Palantir’s contracts with the department quadrupled to $81.3 million, and $30 million was allocated to the ELITE application. In addition, the department extended a $2 million contract with the U.S. subsidiary of Israel’s Paragon Solutions, which developed Graphite, a tool that enables access to encrypted messaging applications.

Other Controversial Cases

Human rights organizations and other bodies filed four federal lawsuits challenging the use of surveillance to revoke visas, arrest immigrants without warrants, and intimidate observers. In a separate case, charges against U.S. citizen Marimar Martinez, who was wounded by a federal agent, were dismissed at the government’s request one month after the shooting. The source does not cite any comprehensive ruling on the legality of the surveillance system as a whole.

What this means for you

The article does not report any change in Israeli legislation or case law. Its direct significance for Israelis is limited to its mention of Israel’s Paragon Solutions as a technology provider; the source does not claim that the U.S. surveillance system described is operated in Israel. For people in the United States, the report shows that their movements, vehicles, photographs, and online activity may be included in integrated federal government databases, although the limits of such use are now being litigated in the courts.

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