When President Donald Trump officially signed a mandate for the expulsion of foreign students involved in “pro-jihadist” demonstrations during the Gaza conflict, supporters of this tough approach began pinpointing those to be deported. In doing so, several pro-Israel private organizations stepped up efforts to reveal protesters utilizing facial recognition technology and other methods, subsequently reporting them to federal authorities.
The employment of facial recognition technology was a new tactic adopted by a right-wing Jewish organization to identify individuals who took part in campus protests. This group compiled a list of identified protesters and handed it over to government officials with the goal of recommending deportation. Moreover, a computer engineer from New York has developed a tool with facial recognition capabilities aimed at identifying masked protesters. Discussions about licensing this software to other pro-Israel groups have already taken place.
This development signifies a departure from facial recognition technology’s traditional role, which largely remains in the hands of law enforcement officials. Attorney Sejal Zota, representing a group of Californian activists in litigation against the facial recognition company ClearviewAI, emphasized the gravity of this shift. “There are now these groups essentially aiding in the surveillance effort,” Zota expressed.
Consequently, several private organizations have directed attention towards immigration authorities, urging their adherents to report protesters. Elizabeth Rand, the president of Mothers Against Campus Antisemitism, implored her extensive follower base to file complaints about foreign academic staff and students displaying support for Hamas, even sharing an ICE tip line for that purpose.
This heightened focus on identifying protesters has spurred a climate of apprehension among the foreign student body. Although it is uncertain how far list submissions to authorities have progressed, anxiety has amplified following the March 8 arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-descendant student leading protests at Columbia University.
For some advocates of deportation, the issue centers on protest activities that transcend peaceful demonstrations, especially those involving incitement of violence or illegal campus occupations. “If your presence here on a student visa entails inciting civil unrest or violence, it begs the question, why are you even here?” queried Eliyahu Hawila, whose technology venture developed the facial recognition tool.
Despite these concerns, some argue that the endeavors to expose pro-Palestinian activists might inadvertently misidentify innocent students, jeopardizing their status in the U.S., leading to potential deportations for unwarranted reasons.
The ongoing campaigns have been dubbed a new frontier in “doxing” — the act of publicly disclosing personal information online. While the initial repercussions of doxing were somewhat contained, the incorporation of facial recognition by private entities and the encouragement to report individuals to immigration authorities have significantly raised the stakes.
“We are in worrisome terrain,” remarked Abed Ayoud, national executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. “This outsourcing of surveillance by the administration presents a troubling situation, and the intentions of these groups remain an enigma.”