TL;DR
Internal ICE documents and sworn testimony reviewed by 404 Media show a Palantir-linked app called ELITE that maps potential enforcement targets, compiles dossiers, and assigns an address "confidence score." The tool has been used to identify dense pockets of people for raids and draws on government and commercial data sources, according to the reporting.
What happened
404 Media reviewed internal ICE materials, procurement records and sworn courtroom testimony describing a targeting application called ELITE (Enhanced Leads Identification & Targeting for Enforcement). The user guide and testimony show the system can display people on a map, open individual dossiers with names, photos, Alien Numbers, dates of birth and full addresses, and assign an "address confidence" metric derived from the source and recency of the data. Testimony from an ICE deportation officer said ELITE was used to identify areas with higher densities of people for enforcement actions; a separate court transcript describes an operation in Woodburn where officers used mapping and plate runs before arrests. The reporting links ELITE by name to a Palantir contract addendum worth $29.9 million that began in September and is planned for at least a year. Documents also state ICE is integrating additional data sources and verifying addresses via paid private investigators and skip tracers.
Why it matters
- The tool centralizes disparate government and commercial data into a single interface used to identify and prioritize people for apprehension.
- Address confidence scores and dataset sourcing directly influence where agents choose to operate, affecting who may be subject to raids.
- Visibility into the technology shows how private contractors and agency datasets can be combined to drive enforcement decisions in communities.
Key facts
- ELITE stands for Enhanced Leads Identification & Targeting for Enforcement and is described in an ICE user guide obtained by 404 Media.
- The app displays geospatial maps, allows officers to draw shapes to select people in an area, and opens dossiers with identifying details and address information.
- ELITE provides an "address confidence score" (examples shown: 98.95 and 77.25 out of 100) based on data source and recency.
- Sources cited in the guide that can feed ELITE include HHS, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and an entry labeled "CLEAR."
- ICE can query individuals by unique identifiers and can select up to 50 people at once through the tool.
- Sworn testimony from an ICE deportation officer identified as JB linked ELITE to the targeting strategy used in a Woodburn, Oregon operation.
- A Palantir contract addendum matching ELITE’s name was reported to provide $29.9 million in services beginning in September and planned for at least a year.
- ICE documentation and reporting say the agency pays private investigators, skip tracers and bounty hunters to help verify addresses shown in ELITE.
What to watch next
- Whether the Palantir $29.9 million supplemental agreement is extended or expanded beyond its initial term: not confirmed in the source.
- Any formal responses or clarifications from Palantir and DHS about ELITE’s functionality and data sources: not confirmed in the source.
- Clarification on what the entry labeled "CLEAR" refers to and which commercial data products feed ELITE: not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- ELITE: A targeting application described in ICE materials as Enhanced Leads Identification & Targeting for Enforcement that maps and scores potential enforcement targets.
- Address confidence score: A numerical metric indicating the system's assessed likelihood that a recorded address is current and accurate, based on source and recency.
- Alien Number (A-number): A unique identifier assigned by U.S. immigration authorities to noncitizens, used in government records.
- Geospatial mapping: The visualization of location-based data on a map to analyze the spatial distribution of people, assets, or events.
Reader FAQ
What is ELITE and who uses it?
ELITE is defined in ICE materials as a targeting tool that maps people and generates dossiers; ICE deportation and fugitive operations personnel are described as users.
Does ELITE use data from other federal agencies?
The guide names sources including HHS and USCIS as feeds for addresses; other data sources are described as being integrated.
Is Palantir confirmed to have developed ELITE?
The user guide does not name a developer, but the ELITE title matches a Palantir contract addendum; direct authorship is not definitively stated in the source.
Did Palantir or DHS respond to requests for comment?
The source reports that neither Palantir nor DHS responded to multiple requests for comment.
404 Media is an independent website whose work is written, reported, and owned by human journalists. Our intended audience is real people, not AI scrapers, bots, or a search algorithm….
Sources
- The Palantir app helping ICE raids in Minneapolis
- ICE to Use ImmigrationOS by Palantir, a New AI System …
- Documents offer rare insight on Ice's close relationship with …
- Palantir granted $30 million to build "ImmigrationOS …
Related posts
- U.S. Senators Demand Tech Firms Disclose Protections Against Sexualized Deepfakes
- Gemini Personal Intelligence Offers a Preview of Google-Powered Siri Features
- NotebookLM is strong now – 5 features that could make it unstoppable