Overview
- ICE issued a memo on Aug. 18 that bars all employees from wearing Meta’s Ray‑Ban smart glasses in federal workspaces and treats them as unauthorized body‑worn cameras.
- The agency cited risks that the glasses can unintentionally record audio and video and route footage through Meta’s commercial systems instead of agency evidence platforms.
- Reporting and investigations earlier this year documented ICE and Border Patrol officers wearing the glasses during operations and protests, creating a gap between existing rules and on‑the‑ground practice.
- The Department of Homeland Security requested $7.5 million in its fiscal proposal to develop government smart‑glass prototypes with possible biometric functions, raising questions about future agency use and safeguards.
- Courts, venues, and privacy groups have moved to restrict the devices and the ACLU and dozens of organizations have warned against adding facial recognition, while Meta has declined to comment on ICE’s memo.