Buckeye Reporter

Gun owners across the United States are raising concerns over the use of facial recognition technology by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). U.S. Representative Andy Biggs highlighted this issue in a letter dated March 27, 2025, addressed to the acting ATF Director Kash Patel. The letter called for transparency and oversight as it was revealed that the ATF conducted at least 549 facial recognition searches between 2019 and 2022.

Biggs, who leads the House Judiciary subcommittee on crime and federal government surveillance, stated, "The Subcommittee has concerns about ATF’s use of facial recognition and AI programs and the effects that its use has upon American citizens’ Second Amendment rights and rights to privacy."

The ATF's use of this technology, supplied by commercial platforms such as Clearview AI and Vigilant Solutions, allows for database searches using social media and public images. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report from June 2021 criticized the lack of training and safeguards at ATF, noting that some officials were unaware of the photos being sent to private services. Although ATF claimed to have ceased using such tools in April 2023, reports suggest that searches have continued through state and local partners.

A significant incident exacerbating the issue was the investigation following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024. It was discovered that the ATF utilized facial recognition images of the suspect, Thomas Matthew Crooks, raising questions about the agency's previous commitment to halt the technology's use.

Critics argue that the use of facial recognition could lead to a de facto national gun registry. A representative from a Gun Owners of America (GOA) noted that combining this technology with existing firearm records "amount to a national gun registry by another name" and could lead to confiscation.

In response, Biggs has requested all related ATF communications and agreements concerning biometric surveillance technologies. His inquiry aims to shed light on the potential privacy infringements stemming from these practices.

The investigation could potentially expose significant privacy violations, sparking a debate on the balance between public safety and the protection of individual rights in an age of advanced surveillance.

"Keep and Bear Radio" podcast playlist

With host Dean Rieck

Become a member of Buckeye Firearms Association and support our grassroots efforts to defend and advance YOUR RIGHTS!

Republished with permission from AmmoLand.