(Al Drago/Bloomberg News)More than two dozen civil liberties and immigration groups are urging congressional Democrats to oppose measures that would advance the use of invasive surveillance tech at the U.S.-Mexico border. The groups took issue with those measures. The groups' concerns over the expansion of surveillance methods extends also to the potential increased reliance on drone surveillance and the possibility of biometric screening at the border and the collection of immigrants’ DNA. Trump has threatened to declare a national emergency to override the standoff over border security and has called the ongoing negotiations a “waste of time” because Democrats have rejected plans that would include money for the wall. But Democrats who are opposed to funding a wall have said they would consider backing a “smart wall,” or a border security alternative that relies on technology.

Source: Washington Post February 05, 2019 15:56 UTC