An audit by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office found that surveillance firm Flock Safety violated state law by allowing federal agencies, specifically U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to access its vast network of license plate reader data. Illinois law prohibits using such data for immigration enforcement. The investigation, which discovered Flock was running a pilot program with CBP that its own leadership was unaware of, was initiated after the Village of Oak Park had already terminated its contract with the company over these exact concerns. In response, Flock’s CEO admitted to poor communication and a lack of proper data-sharing controls, pausing all federal agency pilot programs nationwide. The report also highlights a separate incident where a suburban police officer shared their login with a DEA agent who conducted unauthorized searches. Consequently, the city of Evanston has also canceled its Flock contract.