After 404 Media revealed how a federal drug-policy program collects license plate data from local systems, Sen. Ron Wyden is demanding more transparency from the White House office that runs it. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, overseen by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, has built a system that mirrors city license plate reader records onto federal databases through agreements with municipalities.
According to the investigation, data flows into the system from vendors such as Flock, Axon, and Motorola. Wyden wrote to ONDCP Director Sara Carter asking for details about the program and for release of an assessment of its privacy practices. That review was completed in 2024 by MITRE, a nonprofit contractor, but has not been made public. Wyden also requested a separate analysis of automated license plate reader systems and practices.
Wyden said there is currently limited public visibility into these HIDTA-funded surveillance programs)Skip. His demand follows the reporting and specifically calls on ONDCP to release the commissioned privacy review rather than continuing to withhold it.