Warner and Kaine ask DHS watchdog to audit surveillance procurements, including Flock
Mark WarnerU.S. senator from Virginia, in a joint letter with Sen. Kaine to the DHS inspector general
Warner and Kaine asked the DHS inspector general to audit the department's immigration-related data procurements, saying DHS has used tools including Flock license plate scanning software without official access and that the tools could let DHS circumvent Fourth Amendment protections.
“Together, ICE's new information collection tools potentially enable DHS to circumvent the constitutional protections provided by the Fourth Amendment - protections guaranteed to all Americans and all persons within our borders.”
Official statement
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Press release reproducing the senators' letter to DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari. Item 9 says DHS accessed and used software it has no official access to, including Flock license plate scanning software.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The senators' Jan. 29, 2026 letter lists nine DHS data procurements and activities, ending with the charge that DHS accessed and used software it has no official access to, including Flock license plate scanning software. The letter cites reporting that a Virginia surveillance network was tapped thousands of times for immigration cases.
After the quotation
They asked the inspector general to audit whether the procurements violated federal law and privacy regulations and to brief them on the findings.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. The letter criticizes DHS use of Flock license plate scanning software and asks for an audit, but names no remedy for license-plate networks themselves, so it is placed with critical statements that do not name a remedy.
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More from this case
Read the full caseJacob Burnett says Flock-style cameras should be done away with, with warrants required if they stay
“The systems themselves can be modified to prevent nearly all abuse and be made more secure by requiring warrants for access or follow through on any data the systems collect and have all data stored on the hardware itself preventing viewing from remote locations, requiring strict login credentials and a connecting warrant number to access. These are common sense changes that if the systems are to be used I feel could correct a lot of abuse or privacy concerns but I also feel the systems should be done away with overall, especially in the realm of predictive crime analytics.”Read statement
Dean Brewer, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, says Flock cameras should be banned
“I believe flock cameras should be banned.”Read statement
Buddy Carter says license plate cameras help investigators but need privacy safeguards
“Technologies like license plate recognition cameras can provide valuable investigative tools, but they have also raised important questions about privacy and government oversight. As these systems become more common, it is important to balance public safety with appropriate safeguards that protect individual privacy.”Read statement
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- Warner and Kaine ask DHS watchdog to audit surveillance procurements, including Flock
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The Dispute Index. "Warner and Kaine ask DHS watchdog to audit surveillance procurements, including Flock". First published: 2026-09-30. Last updated: 2026-09-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/3511-warner-and-kaine-asked-the-dhs-inspector-general