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Canada Introduces Facial Recognition App to Monitor Individuals in Deportation Process


The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has created a mobile application that utilizes facial recognition technology to monitor individuals required to report to border officials, including those facing deportation.
In addition to facial recognition features, the app transmits GPS data to the CBSA, as detailed on the agency’s website. Known as ReportIn, this app is part of the CBSA’s Alternatives to Detention initiative, enabling individuals to be released from detention under specific terms.

CBSA officers evaluate eligibility for app usage on a case-by-case basis, requiring an initial in-person visit to a CBSA office to get started. During enrollment, individuals are notified about the data collected and stored, including personal details like name, address, contact information, and employment particulars. Users must also submit multiple facial photos per CBSA protocol.

“The individual must consent to the app’s collection and sharing of personal data with CBSA, encompassing facial imagery and location details,” per the website. “If someone declines data collection and sharing, alternative Alternatives to Detention (ATD) avenues will be explored.”

Upon enrollment completion, users receive a code for app access per CBSA guidelines.

Users are instructed to provide updated photographs via the app at reporting times, as per CBSA policy.

“Each photo sent is verified by a CBSA officer to ensure compliance with reporting conditions,” the agency stated.

Location data is also shared with CBSA through the phone’s GPS for monitoring compliance with conditions. “CBSA uses this data to confirm adherence to conditions and may share the location if reporting conditions are not met,” the website explained.

The launch of the app coincides with increased scrutiny over immigration in Ottawa and reports of over 28,000 foreign fugitives with outstanding deportation orders being unaccounted for by CBSA.

A Ministry Inquiry filed by Conservative MP Brad Redekopp earlier this year revealed 28,145 active warrants for failed refugee claims in Canada, slightly down from 29,248 warrants in October 2023.

Of the missing individuals, 410 had criminal convictions in Canada, and 236 had convictions in their home countries.

These numbers represent an increase from a 2021 report, which estimated around 2,000 individuals with deportation orders annually fail to appear as required. CBSA invests significant resources in investigating, locating, and potentially detaining these individuals according to the document.

The agency believes the new app will enhance user engagement and visibility to the government, aiding in locating individuals who fail to comply with deportation orders.

Canadian citizens are expressing the desire for reduced immigration levels to the Liberal government. An October Leger poll indicated that half of respondents feel the current influx of immigrants is excessive, a seven-point increase from November 2023.

The federal administration is also confronting border challenges with the United States, with President-elect Donald Trump threatening a 25 percent tariff on Canadian imports unless border security is tightened.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.



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