What happened
Senators Markey and Merkley, together with Representatives Jaypal, Pressley, and Tlaib, introduced legislation to halt federal use of biometric surveillance, including facial recognition. The Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2026 would prohibit federal agencies, such as ICE, from employing these technologies. EPIC supports the bill and has recently sued DHS over its facial‑recognition use against protesters.
Why it matters for trust and compliance
- Its status is introduced. It is not law yet. Track it, but do not treat it as an obligation.
- The bill seeks to ban federal biometric surveillance, addressing privacy and civil‑rights concerns around facial recognition.
Who is affected
controller EPIC
Recommended actions
- Check that privacy notices describe the practices this addresses.
- Map the security requirements to existing controls and close gaps.
- Confirm handling of sensitive data categories meets the stricter rules.