Privacy Policy

Application: Mobile Identify

Developer: U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Effective Date: September 24, 2025

This Privacy Policy describes how the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), collects, uses, and shares information through the ICE Mobile Identify application.

1. Purpose of the Application

The Mobile Identify application is a specialized tool designed for authorized ICE non-federal law enforcement officers. The application is used to verify the identity and immigration status of individuals encountered during law enforcement operations. It facilitates the matching of field-collected data against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records to determine if an individual is subject to removal or warrants further investigation.

2. Information We Collect

The Mobile Identify application collects the following specific data elements to perform its core functions:

• Biometric Data (Photos): The app accesses the device camera to capture facial images of encountered individuals.
• Location Data (Metadata): The app collects geolocation metadata associated with the time a photograph is taken. This is used to verify where an encounter took place.
• Metadata: Date and time stamps of when the data is captured.

3. How We Use Information

The information collected by the TFM application is used strictly for law enforcement and official government purposes:

• Identity Verification: Facial images are compared against the Traveler Verification Service (TVS) and the Automated Targeting System (ATS) to identify individuals.
• Immigration Enforcement: To verify immigration status and determine if an individual is removable from the United States.
• Operational Documentation: Geolocation data is used to tag the physical location of the field intake for administrative and legal record-keeping.

4. Data Storage and Retention

Local Storage: The Mobile Identify application does not store photographs or sensitive personal information locally on the mobile device. Once submitted, the data is transmitted securely to backend systems.

Backend Storage: Data is stored in the DHS/CBP Automated Targeting System (ATS). In accordance with the ATS System of Records Notice (SORN) and retention schedules:

• Photographs and encounter records are retained in ATS for 15 years.
• Data disposal is conducted automatically in accordance with these retention periods.

5. Data Sharing and Third Parties

Information collected via this app is shared within the Department of Homeland Security components to facilitate mission requirements:

• Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Data is shared with CBP systems (TVS and ATS) to perform biometric matching and identity verification.
• Third Parties: We do not sell or share data with commercial third parties. Information is only shared with other government agencies or law enforcement entities as authorized by law.

6. Legal Authority and Compliance

This application operates under the legal authority of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and the Homeland Security Act. The collection and use of this data are covered by the following Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) and System of Records Notices (SORN):

• PIA: DHS/CBP/PIA-056 Traveler Verification Service
• PIA: DHS/PIA/ICE-015(j) Enforcement Integrated Database (EID)
• SORN: DHS/CBP-006 Automated Targeting System (77 FR 30297)

7. User Rights and Contact Information

If you have questions regarding this privacy policy, the data collection practices of ICE, or wish to request information under the Privacy Act, please contact the ICE Privacy Unit.