DHS accepts 6 of 7 GAO body-camera fixes but refuses automatic recording for ICE

Staff at 6 of 10 sites GAO visited were unsure when they had to record, and GAO says DHS offered no other safeguard.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO, Congress's watchdog) reviewed the body-camera programs at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The findings. It found outdated plans and unclear rules on when to record. Staff at 6 of 10 sites it reviewed were unsure when cameras had to be on. ICE has not updated its program plan since 2024, and CBP has not updated its plan since 2022. The response. The Department of Homeland Security, which runs both agencies, accepted six of seven recommendations. It rejected cameras that turn on automatically for ICE, citing operational risks. The cameras. ICE had about 4,800 cameras deployed as of April 2026. CBP had about 11,500 as of June 2026.

Activities where confidential informants may be present

ContextGAO, Congress's audit office, wants body cameras at ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to switch on by themselves. DHS (the Department of Homeland Security) said no. GAO calls this automatic activation: the camera starts recording without waiting for an officer to press a button. Today the officer decides, and the rules are unclear. Staff at 6 of the 10 sites GAO reviewed were unsure when they had to record. DHS rejected the idea for ICE, citing risks to operations. According to GAO, it offered no other safeguard to make sure officers capture required footage. Both camera programs are large. ICE had about 4,800 cameras in use as of April 2026. CBP (Customs and Border Protection) had about 11,500 as of June 2026. Neither agency's plan for running its cameras is current. ICE last updated its plan in 2024, and CBP last updated its plan in 2022.