Fed Cancels Plans To Track Cars Nationally After Criticism From Privacy Advocates

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security demanded the cancellation of a plan to access or buy commercial databases for tracking license plates nationwide after criticism from privacy advocates.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, part of the department, had planned to use the information to help find fugitives and undocumented immigrants, according to a government document. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson directed the cancellation, according to the department.

“The solicitation, which was posted without the awareness of ICE leadership, has been canceled,” Gillian Christensen, a deputy press secretary at the agency, said in an e-mail yesterday. “While we continue to support a range of technologies to help meet our law enforcement mission, this solicitation will be reviewed to ensure the path forward appropriately meets our operational needs.”

quizz - 2/20/2014 6:42:12 PM

+1 Boost

So now that they've been caught, they'll just outsource the project to the NSA as part of national security's anti-terrorist tools. We'll have to wait until another "Snowden" has the guts to break cover in 10 years.

TauronB2G - 2/20/2014 8:15:52 PM

+1 Boost

I don't believe that they'll stop because they've been found out. They will just find another way to do it if it hasn't been done already.
To Quizz point about Snowdrn. If he had guts he'd come back to the US and take his punishment. Some things are secrets for a reason. Don't jeopardize national security for your own hubris. The act didn't make him a hero and a patriot it made him a criminal and a traitor.
T