LexisNexis, a data brokerage firm, is being sued by Illinois activists for the collection and sale of immigrant data to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The $22.1 million contract with LexisNexis allows ICE to look up personal information on immigrants, including their address, license plates, and previous roommates and romantic partners, in order to conduct warrantless surveillance. While this issue is particularly dangerous for immigrants, personal information on anyone with a digital footprint is constantly being collected and sold, often without consent.

To better understand the lawsuit and how surveillance data is being used by law enforcement in Illinois, we spoke with Aziz Huq, a University of Chicago law professor who teaches courses on technology and law. He helped us answer some commonly asked questions on what’s legal regarding the collection and sale of data.

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