ICE Awards $25 Million Iris-Scanning Contract to Bi2 Technologies

SubscribeSign inICE Awards $25 Million Iris-Scanning Contract to Bi2 TechnologiesThe no-bid deal is five times the size of the agency's previous contract with the Massachusetts company and could put devices in agents' hands by late June.Michael WristonMay 23, 202651523ShareICE has finalized the no-bid iris-scanning contract that Project Salt Box reported on this month, awarding Bi2 Technologies $25.1 million on May 22, according to a contract award posted to SAM.gov. The figure is more than five times what ICE spent on its first contract with the Massachusetts company eight months ago.The award describes the purchase as covering iris biometric recognition technology and access to a biometric information system "to allow ICE agents to quickly authenticate the identity of subjects during field operations."It gives ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations division continuous access to Bi2's database of more than five million booking records.The procurement did not require the system to clear FedRAMP, the government’s security review for cloud systems handling sensitive data, before deployment. It described no independent audit, congressional notification or outside review of how the system would be used.The May 22 award is roughly five times the $4.6 million DHS paid Bi2 in September 2025, and nearly eight times the device count — 1,570 units compared to 200.Under the contract terms, those devices are due at ICE locations by late June.51523ShareDiscussion about this postCommentsRestacksBill Lundeen 3hLiked by Michael WristonThank you for your reporting and service! It’s a horrible situation in this country right now 💔 but a reckoning is coming, for sure. Hard to see it now, but come it will. Nothing as unsustainable as the MAGA Regime can last that long. And the bigger they are, the harder they fall.ReplyShareJan May (she/her) 3hLiked by Michael WristonWow … this is one of those hard to click on the heart but thank you for informing us.ReplyShare3 more comments...TopLatestDiscussionsNo postsReady for more?Subscribe© 2026 Project Salt Box · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice Start your SubstackGet the appSubstack is the home for great culture

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ICE Awards a significant no-bid contract to Bi2 Technologies for iris-scanning technology, with the total award amounting to $25.1 million, as reported by Project Salt Box. This contract involves the purchase of iris biometric recognition technology and access to a biometric information system designed to enable ICE agents to quickly authenticate the identities of subjects during field operations. The award grants the Enforcement and Removal Operations division of ICE continuous access to Bi2's database, which contains more than five million booking records.

The procurement process lacked extensive oversight; specifically, the system did not require FedRAMP clearance, the government’s security review for cloud systems handling sensitive data, prior to deployment. Furthermore, the award process did not include any independent audit, congressional notification, or outside review concerning how the implemented system would be utilized. In terms of scale, the $25.1 million contract is more than five times the amount ICE previously spent on its initial contract with the Massachusetts company eight months prior. This financial scale is further reflected in the equipment procured, which involves nearly eight times the number of devices compared to the previous arrangement, with 1,570 units being ordered in contrast to the prior 200 units. The contract stipulates that these devices are required to be delivered to ICE locations by late June.