Nov. 22, 2025 7 AM PT
To the editor: What a daunting story that leaves so many unanswered questions (“Border Patrol is monitoring U.S. drivers and detaining those with ‘suspicious’ travel patterns,” Nov. 20).
Questions on who’s being pulled over: Was the system examined earlier than being made operational? Does the focusing on algorithm have built-in biases? What’s the racial composition of the individuals being surveilled? What’s the conviction charge of these being surveilled?
Questions on oversight: Had been members of Congress knowledgeable of this technique? Who’s offering oversight of the system? Why was the American public not knowledgeable?
Questions on knowledge assortment and AI: Are the databases which might be being populated with uncooked knowledge from the license-plate readers susceptible to hacking? Can a given license plate present entry to different databases with extra details about the registered proprietor of that automobile? How is AI getting used to seek out targets?
Questions concerning the cash path: What corporations are concerned with the design and operation of the system? Who’s earning profits on it?
The record of unanswered questions may go on and on. One factor is for certain: As a result of the system has existed beneath each political events, each are complicit in making a surveillance state. Nevertheless, it’s particularly worrisome now that we have now a wannabe dictator on the helm who’s hellbent on waging battle towards immigrants.
Charles Petithomme, Burbank
