ICE bans use of Meta smart glasses on duty, citing privacy risks

A Department of Homeland Security memo to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement staff now explicitly forbids the use of Meta’s smart glasses during work, warning that such devices might inadvertently record or share confidential information. The notice reiterates a longstanding prohibition on personally owned body-worn cameras and expands the restriction to all ICE employees. Recent months have seen ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents spotted wearing the glasses in at least six states, including incidents captured by one outlet and The Independent.

Despite the ban, budget filings suggest ICE plans to acquire specially designed smart glasses with biometric identification capabilities by next year. Meta has not commented on law-enforcement applications, and the company faces growing criticism over privacy concerns tied to its unreleased facial-recognition technology. The agency’s stance highlights the tension between emerging surveillance tools and privacy safeguards.