“To protect both immigrant families and the freedoms of every Coloradan, we must dismantle this surveillance system,” say organizers.
Activists in Denver are working to shut down Flock ALPR (Automated License Plate Recognition) cameras after reports revealed the footage is being used to support ICE arrests and restrict abortion rights.
These Flock cameras photograph license plates of passing vehicles and are commonly used by law enforcement nationwide to track down cars.
Although Flock has no direct contract with ICE, data reviewed by 404 Media shows the agency still accesses the footage through local law enforcement requests. The data reveals that state and local agencies use ALPR footage in various ways—sometimes on federal orders, sometimes informally—for immigration-related actions.
Records obtained by 404 Media show that a sheriff’s office in Texas searched data from more than 83,000 ALPR cameras to locate a woman suspected of having an abortion. Texas authorities have some of the most extreme abortion laws in the U.S., including arresting midwives and attempting to penalize out-of-state doctors accused of prescribing abortion pills.
“Flock’s mass surveillance is unacceptable in our communities,” said Julian Camera, lead organizer at the ACLU of Colorado. “This technology risks exposing our most sensitive activities—whether attending a protest, seeking an abortion, or going to immigration court. As the Trump administration expands its unlawful and abusive overreach, it’s time to shut the cameras off for good.”
On Monday, July 21, Denver-based activists held a press conference urging Mayor Mike Johnston to disable Flock cameras. They cited a May 5 vote by the Denver City Council not to renew the city’s contract with Flock but criticized the mayor for using a loophole in the contracting process to keep the cameras running.
Activists delivered a petition on July 18 with over 1,200 signatures demanding that the mayor shut the cameras down. The petition was backed by several civil liberties and immigrant rights groups, including the ACLU of Colorado, the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, and the Denver Justice Project.
In a similar win last month, Austin activists celebrated their city’s decision to stop using ALPRs. Kevin Welch, executive director of EFF Austin, credited the success to “what happens when a coalition of activist groups come together in common cause and stand in solidarity against the expansion of the surveillance state.”
“Flock erodes constitutional protections for everyone. Local law enforcement’s partnership with ICE through these databases normalizes unchecked surveillance, harming immigrant communities first and eventually threatening everyone’s rights,” said lead organizers with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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