Trump deploys AI to automate immigration enforcement with $30M platform

The Trump administration is deploying artificial intelligence at an unprecedented scale to accelerate immigration enforcement, using algorithms to identify deportation targets and streamline operations from raids to detention. The centerpiece is ImmigrationOS, a new Palantir-developed platform launching Thursday that consolidates enforcement tools into a single interface, allowing agents to approve raids, process arrests, and route individuals to deportation—what acting ICE Director Todd Lyons described as “like Prime, but with human beings.”

What you should know: ImmigrationOS represents a fundamental shift from AI as a support tool to AI as a decision-making guide for immigration enforcement.

• The $30 million Palantir-built system consolidates previously fragmented AI tools into one platform that “doesn’t just collect data — it structures what agents do with it,” according to a senior DHS official.
• The platform draws from non-immigration data sources including Suspicious Activity Reports and Bank Secrecy Act financial transactions, repurposing counterterrorism and anti-money laundering tools for immigration enforcement.
• Unlike previous centralized systems, ImmigrationOS will be accessible directly to field officers, decentralizing AI-powered enforcement decisions.

How it works: The platform creates an end-to-end workflow that automates the entire immigration enforcement lifecycle.

• Agents can approve raids, book arrests, generate legal documents, and route individuals to deportation flights or detention facilities through a single interface.
• The system includes built-in workflows that guide officers through each step of the enforcement process, from initial targeting to final removal.
• AI algorithms sift through vast records to flag potential violations, prioritize leads, and direct officers on next steps, replacing slower manual reviews.

The big picture: This marks an expansion beyond traditional AI applications in immigration, which previously focused on efficiency and support rather than prescriptive action.

• “In the past, AI tools were primarily used to support efficiency — flagging a case for review or assisting with facial recognition. But the new systems described appear to be more prescriptive, guiding agents on what actions to take,” said Steven Hubbard, a data scientist at the American Immigration Council, a pro-immigration nonprofit.
• The system also incorporates IRS and census data, creating what a former DHS official described as an “observability platform” combining datasets from Treasury and other agencies.

What they’re saying: Experts and former officials express concerns about algorithmic bias and reduced human oversight.

• “If AI becomes the basis for enforcement action, oversight isn’t optional — it’s urgent,” Hubbard cautioned.
• Former acting ICE Director John Sandweg, who served during the Obama administration, noted that “these tools can be used for good or bad. This administration has made clear it wants to ramp up arrests — they’ve said it themselves.”
• A former DHS official warned about vendor dependence: “One of the things that we’ve been concerned about is relying so heavily on a primary vendor… substantial portions of the IT infrastructure now require Palantir’s tools to function.”

Additional capabilities: The platform extends beyond deportation operations to workplace enforcement and document verification.

• ICE now has “a new AI tool to do the work of I-9 auditors more quickly and effectively,” according to a former top DHS official, automating the review of employment eligibility forms.
• The system can identify potential immigration enforcement targets ranging from people suspected of identity fraud to those working without authorization.

Why this matters: The deployment represents the most comprehensive use of AI in immigration enforcement to date, raising questions about algorithmic accountability in life-altering decisions.

• Critics worry that prioritizing efficiency over human judgment could lead to bias and overreach in deportation decisions.
• The system’s opacity and the administration’s push to dismantle “woke or regulated systems” while accelerating AI adoption compound oversight concerns.