NEW YORK — In January, at a rally in New York opposing Israel, a protester was videotaped with only her eyes exposed above a face mask and headscarf. However, within days, her full-face photos, name, and employer were shared online. A budding tech firm boasted on social media about using facial recognition software to identify the protester despite her covers.
This individual wasn’t the only one targeted. The same software purportedly analyzed images from numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrations at U.S. universities. A right-wing Jewish organization claimed that some individuals identified by the software appeared on a submitted list to President Donald Trump’s administration, advocating for the deportation of foreign students involved in what they termed “pro-jihadist” protests.
Additionally, certain pro-Israel factions have called upon supporters within campuses to report foreign students participating in Gaza war protests to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. This tactic of employing facial recognition to expose masked demonstrators has blurred the distinction between private entities and public law enforcement. This has stirred apprehension among foreign students worried about potential impacts on their legal status stemming from activism.
Abed Ayoub, of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, expressed concern about this trend, declaring, “It’s a very concerning practice. We don’t know who these individuals are or what they’re doing with this information.” Ayoub views this as the government outsourcing its surveillance.
The trajectory of such activist listings reaching senior government figures remains uncertain. However, apprehensions have increased since March 8, when Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student of Palestinian descent, who was active in protests, was detained. A Tufts University Turkish student was also recently detained near Boston. Trump and other officials indicated forthcoming arrests of international students.
A Columbia student from South Asia, active in protests, highlighted her worries, saying, “Now they’re using tools of the state to actually go after people…thinking about our survival.” Ayoub shares concerns that groups may mistakenly target students who have committed no offenses. Groups requesting deportations claim their target is those inciting unrest and violence beyond mere demonstrations.
Eliyahu Hawila, the software engineer behind the facial recognition tool, argues against foreign students causing disturbances on U.S. soil. “If you’re here, right, on a student visa causing civil unrest…why the heck did you come to this country?” Hawila said, mentioning he shared protester details with groups seeking deportations or other penalties.
According to pro-Israel factions, the exposed protester lost her job following the disclosure. An employee from the company confirmed the woman’s departure earlier this year, while the protester herself refrained from commenting on legal advice.
Doxing, or broadcasting personal information to embarrass or harass adversaries, has grown customary amid the Gaza conflict discord. This extends to revealing details about both U.S. activists and Israeli soldiers. Attorney Sejal Zota, representing California activists in facial recognition-related litigation, points out that private groups’ use of such technology transgressions realms traditionally associated with law enforcement.
Calls to report activists to immigration elevate the stakes. Elizabeth Rand, from Mothers Against Campus Antisemitism, in a January 21 Facebook post, encouraged reporting foreign students and faculty supportive of Hamas to ICE. The NYU chapter of the American Association of University Professors publicized Rand’s post, though Rand has not reciprocated communication attempts about her influence.
In February, a post within an online chat for New York-based Israelis asked in Hebrew about foreign students rallying against Israel and encouraged action with the ICE hotline. The group End Jew Hatred promoted the hotline link but hasn’t replied to inquiries.
Before Khalil’s arrest, Betar, a right-wing Jewish group, declared submitting a list of foreign students and faculty to officials, including then-Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which led to Khalil’s visa revocation. Rubio declined to disclose how student names for visa cancellation reach his office.
The Department of Homeland Security indicated that ICE isn’t collaborating with Betar but didn’t clarify their stance on external reports or facial recognition technology usage. Betar denies formally working with ICE but maintains some names were identified using Hawila’s NesherAI software.
Hawila, originally from Lebanon, has a controversial history involving his Jewish identity verification. He asserts he’s moved on from direct collaboration with Betar, still providing names to them and other pro-Israel entities. He discussed licensing his software to these organizations.
Betar maintained momentum on identifying student protesters during Trump’s campaign and presidency, claiming universities harbored extremist influences. Khalil described himself a scapegoat, targeted by groups like Betar.
Students advocating for Palestine at various universities express distress at the prospects of being targeted and deported. Concerns over personal security, especially for those on campuses like Columbia, have prompted students to alter travel plans and social media usage. Some requested removal from group listings to avoid scrutiny.
In Pittsburgh and George Washington University, students sensed unease at the surveillance environment. Sahar Bostock, among a group of Israeli students at Columbia, condemned the “reporting on one another” environment, likening it to autocratic memories. The atmosphere compels critical reflection on the implications of such monitoring efforts.