Oct 18 (Reuters) – Participants in Saturday’s mass “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s administration may face government surveillance involving advanced technologies such as facial recognition and cellphone tracking, civil liberties advocates have warned.
Organizers say about 2,600 rallies are planned across all 50 U.S. states. However, experts note that the scope and type of surveillance are likely to vary depending on location and law enforcement agencies involved.
“In previous administrations, surveillance of peaceful demonstrations was already common and corrosive to free expression,” said Ryan Shapiro, executive director of government transparency group Property of the People. “Given Trump’s open hostility to dissent, this kind of surveillance now poses an existential threat to what remains of American democracy.” 
Expanding Federal Surveillance Tools
The Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a key agency in Trump’s immigration crackdown, has developed a digital surveillance arsenal that includes facial recognition software, phone hacking tools, and cell site simulators capable of tracking protesters’ mobile phones.
Multiple federal agencies have also deployed social media monitoring systems, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration used MQ-9 Predator drones—aircraft typically deployed in combat zones—over Los Angeles during anti-ICE demonstrations. Lower-tech measures, such as high-definition cameras, have also been observed at recent protests in major cities like Chicago.
A DHS spokesperson declined to confirm whether “No Kings” protesters will be surveilled, saying only that the department “will enforce the laws of our nation.” An ICE representative added: “The First Amendment protects peaceful assembly — not rioting. DHS is taking reasonable and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers.”
Local and Legal Dimensions
Surveillance isn’t limited to federal agencies. Many local police departments also use facial recognition technology, though the laws regulating its use differ across states, according to Stateline.
Nate Wessler, deputy director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, noted that while some surveillance tools require court authorization, it’s “extremely difficult to prove whether a specific person was caught up in government data collection.”
“This is a recurring problem,” Wessler said. “These systems are often designed to operate surreptitiously.”
Don Bell, policy counsel at the Constitution Project, said that existing legal safeguards against mass surveillance have largely been dismantled. “There are virtually no guardrails left, and what did exist has been bulldozed,” he said.
Wessler added that drone monitoring can chill free speech. “If peaceful protesters are demonstrating with permits, there’s no legitimate reason for a drone to be hovering overhead.”
Mounting Tensions Ahead of the Protest
Although the first “No Kings” protest in June was peaceful and celebratory, Trump and his allies have recently labeled upcoming demonstrators as terrorists, Hamas supporters, and far-left agitators—claims made without evidence.
“This time feels different,” said Thorin Klosowski of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “The rhetoric is harsher, and I’m more concerned now than before.”
The Trump administration has declined to disclose details about how it monitors protests. In July, Democratic senators sought information from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem about surveillance practices, but the agency did not respond, according to Senator Ed Markey’s office.
“Donald Trump has shown he’s willing to weaponize government powers to silence dissent,” Markey said. “At this weekend’s protests, his administration must refrain from surveilling Americans exercising their constitutional rights.”
Intelligence Centers Monitoring Events
Plans for the rallies have drawn attention from at least one of the nation’s fusion centers — intelligence-sharing hubs created after the 9/11 attacks. A document obtained by Property of the People from the Central California Intelligence Center lists cities including Sacramento, Fresno, and Stockton as protest sites under observation.
While the center described the protests as “nonviolent action,” it indicated that additional intelligence reports were being prepared. The National Fusion Center Association declined to discuss specifics, referring instead to a 2011 federal guide on “First Amendment-Protected Events.”
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