United States immigration authorities are moving to dramatically expand their social media surveillance , with plans to hire nearly 30 contractors to sift through posts, photos, and messages—raw material to be transformed into intelligence for deportation arrests and raids.

Federal contracting records reviewed by WIRED show the agency is seeking private vendors to run a multi-year surveillance program out of two of its little-known targeting centers. The program envisions stationing nearly 30 private analysts at Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in Vermont and Southern California. Their job: Scour Facebook , TikTok , Instagram , YouTube , and other platforms, converting posts and profiles into fresh leads for enforcement raids.

The initiative is still at the r

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