January 1, Lawmakers Extremely Concerned Over Robots at Border

Some Latino House members have expressed “extreme concern” about a potential plan to dispatch robot dogs along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Reps. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) are seeking a meeting with U.S. Customs and Border Protection about the robots.

In a joint letter, the House members said that the term “robot dogs” is a “disingenuous moniker that attempts to soft-pitch the use of this technology.”

“It downplays the threat the robots pose to migrants arriving at our southern border and the part they play in a long history of surveillance and privacy violations in our border communities.”

The lawmakers expressed concern that the robot dogs will inevitably lead to armed patrols and that they could critically injure, or even kill, migrants or American citizens.

The House members said that robots used alongside drones, facial recognition technology, and license plate readers pose civil liberties risks.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that it has been working with Ghost Robotics to develop a robot dog for border security.

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Exclusive: Lawmakers express “extreme concern” over border robot dog plan