Border Patrol Says Agents Will Stop Using Body Cameras Because They Put Them At Risk

U.S. Border Patrol agents will immediately cease using body-worn cameras (BWCs) in field operations due to security risks, according to a leaked internal directive. The decision comes after concerns emerged that the cameras could be tracked and exploited by bad actors, potentially endangering agents and compromising operations.

"All U.S. Border Patrol Agents will cease the use of body-worn cameras (BWC) in all operational environments," reads a statement to Border Patrol agents reported by NewsNation. The statement continues:

"This directive follows notification received by the IDVRS program management office, regarding a potential security risk associated with the BWCs used by USBP. Pending completion of investigation and risk mitigation, all Agents will stand down the use of their BWCs until further notice. Additional guidance and information will be disseminated as it is received"

Reports on social media suggest that the cameras' Bluetooth signals can be detected from up to 100 yards away, making it possible to identify and track Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. According to Reddit post by user "rowingalt86" under r/immigration, agents could be seen by using BLE Radar, a mobile application that analyzes Bluetooth low-energy devices, including smartphones, smartwatches, and speakers.

NewsNation reports that social media posts even go as far a to claim that body cams can trigger improvised explosive device attacks.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was among the first federal agencies to implement body camera use, following an order from former President Joe Biden. Since 2021, the agency has recorded and publicly released numerous videos to enhance transparency and accountability. However, this policy shift raises concerns among critics who argue that body cameras serve as a crucial tool for oversight.

Val Verde County, Texas, Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez emphasized to NewsNation the importance of body cameras in law enforcement:

"It helps us put a case together because there's evidence in that body camera footag. We go back and check to see, make sure the officer is doing the right thing. That also helps us. When somebody has a citizen complaint, we have the body camera video. We can go back and check that video against the allegations being made."

The security concerns surrounding body cameras have extended beyond Border Patrol. In Texas, law enforcement officers recently detained a Chilean national suspected of a home invasion and discovered a device capable of disrupting police scanners and body cameras, as Fox News reports:

"Officers within the vicinity of the device were unable to properly use their body-worn cameras and key fobs to lock and unlock patrol vehicles, court documents show. They were also unable to communicate through police-issued hand-held radio devices"