As the executive director of Fund Texas Choice, a vital practical support organization, I face the daily challenge of combating issues surrounding safe reproductive health care access, particularly in a state that has outlawed abortion.
Countless Texans are forced to seek care out of state, relying heavily on organizations like Fund Texas Choice to finance these desperate journeys.
However, this process is fraught with peril, especially for those who risk exposure to abusive partners or employers.
The right to care is compromised not only by Texas’ criminalizing laws but also by structures designed to violate privacy.
A recent report by 404 Media highlights the alarming extent of this issue, detailing how a Texas police officer searched Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras nationwide to track a woman who traveled for an out-of-state abortion, citing her husband’s concerns for her safety.
The Automated License Plate Reader pilot program in Austin, approved by the City Council a year ago, is a key structure endangering the privacy and safety of individuals seeking abortions.
These ALPR devices, mounted on police vehicles and buildings throughout the city, rapidly scan vehicle license plates and compare them against a database of warrants.
While the Austin Police Department touts ALPRs as effective tools in crime-solving, the City Council is set to determine whether to make this pilot program permanent, significantly based on these claims.
This decision should raise skepticism.
In cities heavily utilizing ALPRs, the rate of license plate “hits” that lead to actual investigative leads is shockingly low, ranging between a mere fifth and half of one percent.
Moreover, factors such as inclement weather can further exacerbate these errors, frequently leading to misreads.
Thus far, ALPRs have shown no substantial impact on crime reduction.
Instead, they represent a form of mass surveillance that collects extensive data, which can be weaponized against the most vulnerable members of our society, including those seeking abortion care.
In a climate where new laws are being considered to penalize out-of-state travel for reproductive care, the collection of location data by any agency, particularly police, places abortion seekers in even more jeopardy.
This is especially concerning for immigrants, documented or otherwise, who are increasingly targeted by mass deportation efforts.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has unfettered access to ALPR data upon request, further complicating matters for those seeking care.
Activists and protesters, driven by their right to free expression, also find themselves at risk, with their movements easily trackable through location data.
As we confront a troubling surge of authoritarianism and expanding surveillance capabilities, it seems unwise to empower police further in this manner.
Yet, concerns extend beyond police access to ALPR data.
Throughout the year-long pilot, three distinct agencies requested and received data without the Austin Police Department’s knowledge for months.
This raises crucial questions: Why was the police department unaware of this data sharing? How was this oversight addressed? What corrections were implemented?
Moreover, the contractor behind Austin’s ALPR system, Flock, has connections to billionaire Peter Thiel.
While assurances were provided that the city would own and control the data, auditors have revealed unsettling truths.
Flock’s contract grants them significant latitude to exploit this data, potentially sharing it externally and integrating it into products like their “Vehicle Fingerprint” system, designed to identify vehicles based on minor characteristics such as bumper stickers.
Even more alarming is Flock’s development of a new product that seeks to link ALPR data directly to individuals, facilitating invasive real-time tracking that could empower abusive partners or authoritarian regimes.
These surveillance tools can jeopardize individuals who may need to travel across state lines for healthcare, leaving them vulnerable and apprehensive about seeking help.
The fundamental right to move freely without being subjected to surveillance is increasingly at risk.
In an environment where civil liberties are swiftly being curtailed, particularly for marginalized populations and dissenters, it is imperative that our leaders recognize the misallocation of resources.
With an annual cost of $244K for the ALPR program, these funds would be more wisely invested in critical services such as reproductive health funding and legal defense for immigrants, especially as we witness relentless attacks on these fundamental rights.
image source from：https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2025-06-06/opinion-license-plate-readers-make-us-all-less-safe/
