Concerns raised about the use of AI technology by activists and the introduction of legislation to protect law enforcement.
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has sent a letter to the CEO of PimEyes, a company specializing in AI facial recognition technology, expressing “deep concern” over its use by activists to “dox” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The move comes as assaults on ICE officers have surged by 830% since President Trump’s return to office.
In her letter to PimEyes CEO Giorgi Gobronidze, Senator Blackburn highlights a report from Politico detailing how a group of activists, led by an individual named Dominick Skinner, used the company’s technology to identify at least 20 ICE officers. According to Skinner, the facial search engine can reveal the identities of individuals even if 35% or more of their face is covered.
“Online foreign activists should not be weaponizing generative AI to threaten and endanger our federal officers and their families,” Senator Blackburn wrote. She warned that reverse image search systems like PimEyes could be used by criminal gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua to target law enforcement and their loved ones.
The Senator also pointed to the actions of Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, who she says publicly released the names of several ICE agents, placing them and their families “directly in harm’s way.”
In response to these threats, Senator Blackburn has introduced the Protecting Law Enforcement from Doxxing Act. This legislation would make it a criminal offense to publish the name of a federal law enforcement officer with the intent to obstruct a criminal investigation or immigration operation.
“Our law enforcement officers devote their lives to protecting our communities,” she stated. “They willingly and courageously stand in the face of danger to keep us safe.”
As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, Senator Blackburn emphasized her commitment to safeguarding Americans’ data and privacy in the digital age. She argued that while AI facial recognition can be a tool for public safety in the hands of law enforcement, a “publicly accessible digital library of individuals’ lives and likenesses in the wrong hands poses unthinkable risks.”
The Senator’s letter concludes with a series of pointed questions to PimEyes, urging the company to take immediate action to ensure transparency and accountability. She has given the company until September 24, 2025, to respond.
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