A quiet but consequential shift is underway in how the U.S. government uses airline passenger data. The Transportation Security Administration has begun sharing information about domestic airline travelers with immigration authorities, expanding how routine travel data can be used for enforcement purposes.
TSA does not collect immigration status, and travelers are not being stopped or questioned at airport checkpoints based on this information. Instead, the data is used after travel has already occurred, allowing immigration authorities to determine where and when someone flew and potentially use that information to locate them later.
The change appears to have taken place quietly, starting in March 2025, without public announcement or congressional debate. Government officials have said the information sharing is lawful and limited, describing it as cooperation between agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.
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