The Trump administration has sued several states over laws that would hold Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers accountable by requiring them to show their faces during raids. Critics argue the administration fears officers could face retaliation, but an art project called ICESpy claims its facial recognition software cannot identify current ICE agents.

ICESpy’s creator, Kyle McDonald, says his database is based on outdated LinkedIn profiles and only includes a few actual deportation officers. The project's activity logs show minimal use, suggesting little real threat to ICE officers.

Meanwhile, ICE List—a site that tracks ICE agents—faces similar legal challenges. Its maintainer, Dominick Skinner, admits the platform’s success with facial recognition has been exaggerated but remains a tool for public accountability. In one case, it helped identify an ICE agent involved in a shooting incident.

The Department of Justice argues these sites have been used to harass federal law enforcement officers, though it provides no concrete examples in its lawsuits. As the debate rages on, one question remains: are faces really necessary for accountability or just inviting trouble?