Illinois officials and civil liberties groups raise alarm over Flock data reaching federal immigration agencies

First reported: October 19, 2026 · 1 source

Reports that law enforcement Flock data has been shared with Department of Homeland Security agencies have prompted concern in Illinois communities over potential immigration enforcement uses. Flock says it does not work directly with ICE, but Customs and Border Protection tested the system through a 2025 pilot program; the company says it paused all federal pilots in August 2025. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias ordered Flock in 2025 to stop sharing data with CBP, citing the state's TRUST Act, which bars local police from assisting federal immigration enforcement. ACLU of Illinois and a DePaul political scientist told The DePaulia that state law does not by itself prevent Flock from sharing data with federal agencies.

Why this matters

The dispute tests whether state sanctuary laws can meaningfully limit federal access to data collected by a private surveillance vendor, a question facing any jurisdiction whose police use networked license plate readers.

Key facts

CBP tested Flock through a 2025 pilot; Flock says it paused all federal pilot programs in August 2025.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias ordered Flock in 2025 to halt data sharing with CBP under the state's TRUST Act.
Five Illinois public universities have Flock cameras, including UIC, UIUC and UIS; DePaul's campuses do not.
A part-time Prairie Grove, Illinois officer was charged with felony misconduct for allegedly using Flock cameras to stalk former partners; charges are allegations, not convictions.
Lucas County, Ohio's Flock database was searched by Texas law enforcement more than 80,000 times, according to the report.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

ICE access to Flock cameras sparks concern in Chicago (The DePaulia, October 19, 2026)

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About this record

BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.

Updated October 20, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.