The day after Trump’s victory, shares in private prison companies rose, highlighting expectations that these institutions would expand to house detainees awaiting deportation. Trump has promised sweeping immigration reforms, including mass deportations, militarization of the border, increased artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance, and the crackdown on sanctuary cities. These plans rely on a growing surveillance industrial complex that takes advantage of the lack of regulation to exploit new technologies, often with negative consequences for human rights, according to an analysis published by Just Security.

This analysis highlights that digital technologies, such as drones and algorithms, are already permeating immigration management, resulting in violations of rights such as privacy and equality. In addition, surveillance pushes migrants into more dangerous routes, increasing mortality at the US-Mexico border. While some of these initiatives predate Trump, his administration has deepened the use of these technologies, driven by a billion-dollar industry that often ignores ethical safeguards in the name of profit.

The growing influence of technology executives and public-private partnerships in the White House is another point of contention. These collaborations obscure transparency and accountability, allowing companies to develop potentially harmful tools. Despite regulatory efforts, such as the European Union’s AI Act and international conventions, the text criticizes the insufficiency of these measures to address the human impacts of technologies in border contexts. The Trump administration, allied with technology industry leaders, has shown little interest in regulating or prioritizing the rights of affected populations.

Importantly, a potential “digital war on migration” is emerging, where border technologies are normalized and tested in vulnerable spaces, such as the Sonoran Desert. These tools are not limited to borders, but also impact domestic security and expand state surveillance into other areas of society. In this way, the exclusive focus on innovation and profit neglects ethical consequences, reinforcing inequalities and risks to human rights on a large scale.