AI, biometric scans, and surveillance: DHS's secret projects leaked
A big data leak just revealed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is working on some next-level AI surveillance projects.
Think automated cameras at airports, biometric scanning using your phone, and even AI that tries to predict incidents by analyzing 9-1-1 calls.
This all comes in the wake of a $165 billion funding boost and amid controversy over how the agency collects data.
Contracts handed out to private companies
The leak shows that in May 2025, DHS handed out contracts to private companies (like Idea Mind LLC and Intellisense Systems) to develop smartphone biometric adapters.
Another company, Cassius LLC, is building an AI platform to spot crime trends from emergency call data.
The documents also highlight how much private tech firms have been involved in shaping these surveillance tools for years.