ICE is watching you

Driven in Durango lately? Your movements are recorded by Durango’s 21 “Flock” cameras. Durango shares records access with 603 law enforcement agencies (LEAs) nationwide; 60 have “287(g)” partnerships with ICE. These agreements allow LEAs to enforce laws but also enable ICE and ICE-partnered LEAs to search our community for migrant persons.

But don’t think “I’m not a law-breaker (or, I’m white) so it doesn’t affect me.” You’re a surveillance target if you love freedom or speak out in defense of democracy – like most of us townies. Let’s face that fact, after many threats made by the current administration against free thinkers, calling us “the enemy within” and calling for the death penalty for those who say the law should be followed.

Women may be at most risk. Flock and similar surveillance systems have been used to track persons seeking reproductive care – as happened in Texas, even into states where abortion care is not criminalized like Colorado. As an Eff.org article puts it, “Yesterday’s license plate readers have morphed into today’s reproductive dragnet.“ Reports say that ALPRs (automated license plate readers) have also been used for personal vendettas like stalking former girlfriends. This is totally unacceptable, yet beyond the ability of our local police to control since, by contract, Flock can share our information with any agency they choose – without even informing us.

We need answers:

1) Has the City of Durango adequately informed residents of the dangers associated with the Flock surveillance system?

2) Did residents give informed consent based on complete and accurate information reflecting all the relevant facts, alternatives and risks?

3) Were we informed of Flock’s contractual right to share information with (for example) Customs and Border Protection, without informing LEAs? They did so, as reported in August by 9 News Denver.

4) Is the “warrantless search” enabled by the Flock surveillance system a violation of 4th Amendment rights? Have residents lost those rights by failing to speak out?

5) What role did Durango’s system play in providing ICE with surveillance information leading to the abductions of the Jaramillo family and many others?

6) Has the City of Durango violated Colorado state law prohibiting in-state LEAs from cooperating with ICE?

The City’s Flock contract is up for renewal – our chance to end this invasion of our security and privacy. Freedom-lovers, sign the Change.org petition and email citycouncil@durangogov.org to urge non-renewal and to add this topic to the next agenda. Then show up to the City Council meetings Dec. 2 and Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. (5 p.m. if signing up to speak). And, lastly, watch the Facebook page for “Durango Neighborhood Action” for an upcoming event, hopefully with a speaker from the ACLU.

– Kirbie MacLaurin,  Durango