ICE agents in at least six states have been spotted wearing Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses during enforcement operations since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.
Now, the Department of Homeland Security wants to go further by building its own smart glasses that would let agents identify people on the street in real time using facial recognition and other biometric data.
The DHS is requesting $7.5 million to “develop critical technologies, analytic tools, and data systems to strengthen DHS’ ability to encounter, transport, detain, and remove individuals who are in the U.S. unlawfully,” according to the department’s fiscal year 2027 budget justification for the Science and Technology Directorate.
Among those technologies is wearable tech. The funds will be used to “deliver innovative hardware, such as operational prototypes of smart glasses, to equip agents with real-time access to information and biometric identification capabilities in the field,” the budget justification shows.
Facial recognition already in use
