Giannoulias cracks down on plate reader abuse
Following reports that Texas police illegally accessed Illinois automatic license plate reader data to track down a woman for an abortion care-related matter, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced new measures aimed at preventing further abuse.
In May, law enforcement authorities in Texas performed a nationwide search of more than 83,000 ALPR cameras to locate a woman they said had a self-administered abortion. Included in the search were cameras located in states where abortion is legal – including Illinois, specifically Mount Prospect in suburban Cook County.
In 2023, Giannoulias spearheaded first-in-the-nation legislation making it illegal for law enforcement in other states to use ALPR cameras to track or penalize individuals seeking abortion care or criminalize a person's immigration status.
'License plate readers can serve as an important tool for law enforcement, but these cameras must be regulated so they aren't abused for surveillance, tracking the data of innocent people or criminalizing lawful behavior,' Giannoulias said. 'No one seeking legal healthcare services in Illinois should face harassment or jail – period.'
'At Personal PAC, we work hard with our partners in government, like Secretary Giannoulias, to pass laws that protect abortion in Illinois,' said Sarah Garza Resnick, CEO of Personal PAC. 'Patients rely on Illinois for abortion access that they need, and it is on us to ensure that their right to receive that care is protected in our state. We applaud Secretary Giannoulias for taking swift action in looking into the alleged violations of the ALPR data act.'
'Illinois has taken major steps that protect immigrant rights and reproductive rights, but these policies are only effective if the law is followed,' said Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant Rights. 'We thank the Secretary of State for shutting off access to out-of-state authorities and protecting all people coming through our state.'
In response to this breach, the Secretary of State's office instructed Flock Safety, which operates the ALPR network in question, to immediately shut off access for the out-of-state authorities illegally using the system. The office has also contacted the Illinois Attorney General's office to investigate the matter and is establishing an audit system with additional safeguards to ensure any law enforcement entity using an ALPR in Illinois is adhering to the law.
Under the act, which took effect in 2024, law enforcement agencies must attest that ALPR data will not be used to prosecute or enforce another state's laws pertaining to abortion care or immigration status. If a law enforcement agency violates this agreement, they jeopardize their access to Illinois ALPR data and eligibility for federal and state grants.
In the recent case, Mount Prospect's ALPR settings provided a gateway into Illinois' system operated by Flock for an unauthorized use, despite the Texas police stating that the reason for the search was related to abortion care. Any law enforcement entity operating the ALPR must adhere to the declaration in the law and deny such requests, according to the act. Between January 14 and April 30, there were 262 searches for immigration related matters in Mount Prospect, alone.
The law still allows police to use ALPR technology for investigating felonies, carjackings, vehicle thefts and missing person alerts, but it protects a person's right to abortion access and prevents attempts to criminalize a person's immigration status.
Operated by private companies, ALPRs are used in every state by most metropolitan police departments to scan license plates and provide the time and location of vehicles in real time. ALPR technology allows police to read thousands of license plates per minute from cameras placed on roadways, streetlights and squad cars.
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