The Trump administration has directed two intelligence agencies to train their satellite surveillance capabilities on the U.S.-Mexico border region as part of a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration and drug cartels.
Artificial intelligence and drone surveillance have been deployed at the border for years, but the latest initiative seeks to expand the use of military capabilities generally built for conflict overseas.
While laws and regulation generally restrict U.S. spy agencies from surveilling citizens and other legal residents, they allow immigration authorities to conduct physical searches 100 air miles from the border. This area includes cities like San Diego and coastline near Los Angeles, New York or Seattle.
Reuters could not determine whether the effort, which has not been previously reported, would gather imagery of U.S. territory.
"If they follow the law, these agencies should only collect on the other side of the border in foreign territory," said Paul Rosenzweig, a lawyer who specializes in national security and privacy law. "But how they implement that, and if they do, are legitimate oversight questions."
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