On License Plates and Metadata

By Dan Cadman on February 24, 2014

This just in from our Department of Non Sequiturs and Oxymorons: The Associated Press reports that Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, citing privacy concerns, has canceled a contract that would have given agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to a national registry of vehicle license plate data.

ICE agents would have used the data to identify alien criminals, capture alien felons who have reentered the United States after deportation, and track down alien fugitives who have absconded from ongoing removal proceedings before immigration judges.

So let's see if we've got this right: The administration that has permitted the National Security Agency to collect telephone and Internet metadata on every American citizen in the United States draws the line at violating the privacy rights of illegal aliens. Excellent!

Just another example of your government working for you.