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Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle made the
announcement at a news conference in Chicago on Wednesday.
“The updated legislation prohibits data brokers from selling
personal and private information acquired under county contracts
and prohibits the release of that information to enforce
immigration laws,” Preckwinkle said.
County Commissioner Alma Anaya said she learned during a July
2022 hearing that immigration agents paid more $100 million in
taxpayer funds to obtain personal information from data brokers.
“That was four years ago. We can only imagine how much more
consumer identities have been purchased now,” Anaya said.
Anaya said the amendment includes a private right of action
against companies that violate it.
Commissioner Jessica Vásquez was asked about the county board
approving an additional $1 million in taxpayer funding for the
Cook County Sheriff’s Office to expand its license plate reading
system earlier this year.
“I share so much of the concerns. I was also a no vote on Flock,
and I’ve been talking to some of my colleagues at the state to
see if we can rectify some of the technology that we voted on,”
Vásquez said.
Vásquez said she hoped a resolution on Flock cameras could be
introduced next month.
A U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson said in a
statement to The Center Square that ICE personnel are expected
to comply with DHS and ICE policies governing the use of mobile
devices, third-party messaging applications, records management,
and the protection of government information.
“ICE policy 4004.1 established requirements for the use of
ICE-issued mobile devices. Additionally, in alignment with the
ICE Chief Information Officer’s guidance, DHS policy requires
employees to use work devices for all work-related activities,”
the statement said.
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