The City of Auburn and its police department said this week that they did not knowingly allow federal immigration enforcement agencies to access the city’s Flock camera system, following a report that U.S. Border Patrol had gained entry through a national data-sharing feature.
According to Auburn officials, the access occurred through Flock’s “National Lookup” tool, which allows agencies across the country to share license plate data. The city said it immediately turned off the feature once it became aware that it could have allowed unintended federal access.
“The integrity of our public safety systems, and the trust our community places in them, is non-negotiable,” Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus said in a statement. “We will continue to take every measure necessary to safeguard our data, uphold state law, and ensure our technology is used only for lawful and ethical policing purposes.”
City leaders said Auburn’s Flock cameras are used strictly for public safety and criminal law enforcement, and not for immigration enforcement activities.
They added that the city has not intentionally granted access to U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or any other Department of Homeland Security agency.
To strengthen oversight, the Auburn Police Department has begun conducting monthly reviews of usage data from the Flock system and pledged to immediately revoke access for any agency found to be using Auburn’s data for immigration enforcement.
The department has also contacted University of Washington researchers to clarify findings referenced in the report.
Officials said the city remains committed to transparency and accountability, and that its police technology will continue to be monitored to ensure it aligns with Auburn’s values and state law.
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