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The UK Home Office is preparing to deploy live facial recognition technology at transport hubs and public events to identify individuals for civil immigration matters.
The UK Home Office is preparing to deploy live facial recognition (LFR) technology at transport hubs and public events as part of an immigration enforcement program, according to policy documents.
According to a policy document published on 8 October 2026, Immigration Enforcement's use of LFR will extend beyond ports of entry to include locations such as transport hubs and events "expected to increase footfall at a location." The guidance also covers joint deployments with police forces, which may allow Immigration Enforcement to supply watchlists for police facial recognition systems.
A data protection impact assessment (DPIA) published on 22 October 2026 notes that LFR could be used to support "administrative or civil immigration activity" rather than being used solely for criminal matters. This means individuals could be included on watchlists for civil matters such as overstaying a visa, working without permission, or entering without leave.
Immigration Enforcement conducted several LFR trials at Holyhead port:
There are concerns regarding the integrity of the databases used to create watchlists. Computer Weekly reports that the underlying database used for LFR is the same one underpinning the Home Office’s electronic visa (eVisa) system, which has faced issues such as profile mismatches and immigration statuses becoming "entangled" with other people's records. Kaelynn Narita, research and policy manager at the3million, stated, "If the Home Office builds watchlists from these same databases, errors could lead to people being wrongly flagged, stopped or questioned."
A Home Office spokesperson stated, "Live facial recognition is helping us crack down on illegal immigration, protect the public and secure our borders by identifying those who break our laws and abuse our immigration system."
Critics have raised concerns regarding the lack of specific regulation. William Webster, the biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner for England and Wales, stated that while he is aware of the pilots, his remit does not extend to immigration services. He noted, "the proliferation of LFR into different service contexts does raise important questions about the scope of existing regulatory oversight."
In a recent interview with former prime minister Tony Blair, home secretary Shabana Mahmood described an ambition to use technologies such as AI and LFR to achieve a vision where "the eyes of the state can be on you at all times."
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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