ICE Uses Insurance Fraud Database to Identify Deportation Targets

Key Takeaways

• Since July 2025, ICE uses ISO ClaimSearch, a huge insurance fraud database, to identify deportation targets.
• ISO ClaimSearch contains 1.8 billion claims and 58 million medical bills with sensitive personal data.
• ICE’s access affects immigrants, legal residents, citizens, and those with pending immigration cases.

In July 2025, a major change in immigration enforcement in the United States 🇺🇸 has come to light: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) now uses a massive private insurance fraud database, called ISO ClaimSearch, to help identify and locate people targeted for deportation. This update has wide-reaching effects for immigrants, legal residents, and even U.S. citizens whose personal information may be included in this database. Here’s a detailed look at what has changed, who is affected, what actions may be required, and what these developments mean for people with pending immigration cases.

Summary of What Changed

ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) unit has gained access to ISO ClaimSearch, a database originally designed to help insurance companies detect fraud and recover stolen vehicles. Now, ICE uses this tool to search for people they want to deport. ISO ClaimSearch contains more than 1.8 billion insurance claims and 58 million medical bills, including highly sensitive personal details such as:

• Names
• Addresses
• Phone numbers
• Social Security and tax identification numbers
• License plates
• Detailed health insurance claims data

ICE’s access to this insurance fraud database is possible through the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), a nonprofit supported by over 1,200 insurance companies. According to internal documents reviewed by investigative reporters, ICE agents use ISO ClaimSearch for background investigations related to homeland security and immigration enforcement.

Who Is Affected by This Change

This update affects a broad range of people, including:

• Undocumented immigrants: Anyone who has filed an insurance claim or medical bill that is stored in ISO ClaimSearch could be identified and targeted for deportation.
• Legal residents and citizens: Because the database covers billions of records, even legal residents and citizens may have their personal information accessed and cross-referenced by ICE.
• People with pending immigration cases: Those waiting for a decision on their immigration status may be at increased risk if their information appears in the database.
• Anyone who has filed an insurance claim: The scope of ISO ClaimSearch is so wide that it includes property, car, and health insurance claims, meaning millions of Americans are included.

Effective Dates and Current Status

ICE’s use of ISO ClaimSearch was confirmed as of July 2025. The agency’s access is ongoing, and there is no public indication that this practice will end soon. The Trump administration’s 2025 executive order, which aimed to break down information barriers between federal agencies, has made it easier for ICE to access and use this kind of data.

Required Actions for Affected Individuals

If you think your information might be in ISO ClaimSearch, or if you are worried about how this change could affect you or your family, here are some steps you can take:

• Know your rights: You do not have to answer questions from ICE agents without a lawyer present. If ICE comes to your home, you do not have to let them in unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.
• Seek legal help: If you are concerned about your immigration status or believe you may be targeted, contact a trusted immigration attorney or a legal aid group. Organizations like Just Futures Law and other civil rights groups can provide guidance.
• Be careful with personal information: Understand that any insurance claim, including car accidents, property damage, or medical bills, could result in your information being stored in ISO ClaimSearch.
• Monitor your case: If you have a pending immigration application, stay in close contact with your lawyer and keep up to date on any changes in your case status.

Implications for Pending Applications

For people with pending immigration applications, this new use of the insurance fraud database means that ICE may have more ways to find and target individuals, even if they have not committed any crime. This could lead to:

• Increased risk of detention or deportation: If your personal details are in ISO ClaimSearch, ICE may use this information to locate you.
• Delays or complications in your case: If ICE takes enforcement action based on information from the database, it could interrupt your application process.
• Greater need for legal support: Because of the complexity and privacy concerns, it is more important than ever to have legal representation if you are dealing with immigration issues.

Scope and Scale of ISO ClaimSearch

ISO ClaimSearch is one of the largest insurance fraud databases in the world. It was originally built to help insurance companies and law enforcement detect fraud and recover stolen vehicles. Now, with ICE’s access, the database has become a powerful tool for immigration enforcement. Here’s what makes it so significant:

• Covers nearly all property and casualty insurance claims: This includes car accidents, home damage, and health insurance claims.
• Contains over 1.8 billion records: The sheer size of the database means that most Americans who have filed an insurance claim are likely included.
• Includes sensitive personal information: Beyond basic contact details, the database holds Social Security numbers, tax IDs, license plates, and even detailed medical billing information.

ICE can cross-reference this data with other government and commercial databases, such as utility records, credit reports, criminal histories, and vehicle registrations, to build detailed profiles of individuals.

Legal and Privacy Concerns

The use of ISO ClaimSearch by ICE has raised serious legal and privacy concerns. Civil liberties groups, including Just Futures Law, argue that this is a dangerous expansion of federal surveillance powers. They point out that:

• There is no clear oversight or consent: People whose information is in the database did not agree to have it used for immigration enforcement.
• The system was not designed for this purpose: ISO ClaimSearch was meant to detect insurance fraud, not to help the government find and deport people.
• Potential for errors and abuse: With so much data, there is a risk that innocent people could be wrongly targeted.

Julie Mao, co-founder and deputy director of Just Futures Law, said,

“ICE is repurposing mass data collection systems to build an unprecedented surveillance infrastructure… This is not about fraud prevention. It is about the federal government having surveillance power and control over all Americans.”

Privacy advocates warn that ICE’s growing access to personal data operates largely without transparency or explicit consent, and is not governed by traditional law enforcement standards. This raises serious civil rights concerns, especially for immigrant communities.

How ICE Uses ISO ClaimSearch: Step-by-Step

Based on available information, here is how ICE uses the insurance fraud database in its enforcement operations:

1. Access Authorization: ICE agents get permission to use ISO ClaimSearch through the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
2. Data Query: Agents search the database using personal details like names, addresses, or license plates to find insurance claims or medical billing records.
3. Cross-Referencing: The information found is compared with other government and commercial databases to build a complete profile.
4. Target Identification: People identified through this process may be flagged as deportation targets based on ICE’s enforcement priorities.
5. Enforcement Action: ICE agents use the information to locate, detain, and start removal proceedings against the identified individuals.

Related Data Access and Broader Surveillance

ICE’s use of ISO ClaimSearch is part of a larger trend of using private commercial databases for immigration enforcement. For example:

• ICE previously used CLEAR, a database owned by Thomson Reuters, which collects utility records, credit reports, criminal histories, and vehicle registrations. Although ICE’s $21 million contract with Thomson Reuters expired, the agency is seeking new contracts to keep access to similar data.
• ICE has also worked with Palantir Technologies, a company known for data analytics and surveillance, to centralize and analyze immigration data.

These efforts are supported by a significant increase in government funding. ICE has received about $75 billion over four years to step up deportation efforts. This funding comes with daily deportation quotas, which push the agency to use new data sources and analytics to meet their targets.

Background and Historical Context

Traditionally, ISO ClaimSearch was used by insurance companies and law enforcement to detect fraud and recover stolen vehicles. Its new use by ICE for immigration enforcement marks a big shift in how commercial data is used by the federal government. The Trump administration’s 2025 executive order, which aimed to break down barriers between federal agencies, has made it easier for ICE to access and use this kind of data. Agreements between the IRS and ICE have also expanded ICE’s ability to gather personal information.

Legal Challenges and Advocacy

Legal challenges against ICE’s use of insurance and medical data are ongoing. Multiple states and civil rights organizations are trying to stop the use of these databases for immigration enforcement and to set stricter limits on how federal agencies can use sensitive personal information. Court rulings in the future could limit or regulate ICE’s access to these databases.

Advocacy groups are also pushing for new laws or rules to protect personal data from being used for immigration enforcement without due process. Increased public attention and pressure may lead policymakers to act.

Expert and Stakeholder Perspectives

• Civil rights groups: Organizations like Just Futures Law argue that ICE’s use of ISO ClaimSearch is a dangerous step toward mass surveillance of all Americans, not just immigrants.
• Privacy advocates: They warn that ICE’s growing data arsenal operates without transparency or proper consent, raising serious civil rights concerns.
• ICE: The agency has not publicly commented on its access to ISO ClaimSearch or the broader implications of its data surveillance practices.

Practical Implications for Immigrants and the Public

For individuals and families, the use of ISO ClaimSearch by ICE means:

• Greater risk of being targeted: Even if you have not committed any crime, your information could be used to find and detain you.
• Privacy concerns: Sensitive personal information, including medical and insurance records, can be accessed and used without your knowledge or consent.
• Chilling effect: Some people may avoid seeking medical care or filing insurance claims out of fear that their information could be used against them.

What You Can Do Now

• Stay informed: Keep up to date on changes in immigration enforcement and data privacy laws.
• Protect your information: Be cautious about sharing personal details and understand how your data may be used.
• Seek legal advice: If you are worried about your immigration status or believe you may be at risk, contact a qualified immigration attorney or legal aid group.
• Know your rights: Learn what to do if approached by ICE or if you receive a notice about your immigration status.

Future Outlook

ICE is actively seeking new contracts to maintain and expand access to private investigative databases, showing that the agency plans to keep relying on commercial data sources for immigration enforcement. Legal challenges and public pressure may lead to new rules or limits on how this data can be used, but for now, ICE’s access to ISO ClaimSearch continues.

Official Resources and Contacts

• For official information on immigration fraud prosecutions by ICE, visit the ICE Immigration Fraud Prosecutions page.
• For legal help or concerns about data privacy, contact organizations like Just Futures Law or other civil rights legal groups.
• Journalists or whistleblowers with information about ICE’s data use can reach out to investigative reporters, such as Joseph Cox at 404 Media.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The use of ISO ClaimSearch by ICE marks a major shift in how the federal government uses commercial data for immigration enforcement. This change affects millions of people, including immigrants, legal residents, and citizens, and raises serious questions about privacy, consent, and civil rights. As reported by VisaVerge.com, the growing use of private databases by ICE is likely to continue, making it more important than ever for individuals to know their rights, seek legal help, and stay informed about changes in immigration enforcement.

If you or your family may be affected, take action now by learning about your rights, getting legal advice, and staying updated on new developments. The landscape of immigration enforcement is changing quickly, and being prepared is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Learn Today

ICE → U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency enforcing immigration laws and removal operations.
ISO ClaimSearch → A private insurance fraud database with billions of records used to detect fraud and now immigration targets.
Enforcement and Removal Operations → ICE division responsible for apprehending and deporting unauthorized immigrants.
National Insurance Crime Bureau → Nonprofit organization supporting insurance fraud detection and grants database access to ICE.
Palantir Technologies → A data analytics company used by ICE to centralize and analyze immigration data.

This Article in a Nutshell

In 2025, ICE expanded immigration enforcement by accessing ISO ClaimSearch, a vast insurance fraud database containing billions of records and sensitive personal information, used to track and deport individuals, raising significant privacy and civil rights concerns nationwide.
— By VisaVerge.com