** PRESS RELEASE **
Flint, MI –
The Flint Alliance for Immigrant Rights (FAIR), alongside community members and partner organizations, held a press conference Monday, March 8 at 8:30 AM outside the Genesee County Administration Building to call on the Genesee County Board of Commissioners to withdraw from its current contract with Flock Safety and reject any expansion of automated license plate reader surveillance in the county.
The press conference comes as the Genesee County Board of Commissioners prepares to vote on proposals related to the county’s use of Flock surveillance cameras. The vote was delayed last month after residents raised concerns during public comment and asked commissioners to take more time to understand the contracts and the broader implications. Community members will gather to urge commissioners to end Genesee County’s current contract with Flock Safety, reject new contracts expanding license plate reader surveillance, and prioritize investments that support community well-being, safety, and opportunity.
Automated license plate reader systems such as those produced by Flock Safety are high-speed camera networks that capture license plate numbers, vehicle images, locations, and timestamps for every vehicle that passes within view. Advocates and organizers across the country warn that this kind of mass data collection raises serious concerns about privacy, accountability, and the potential targeting of vulnerable communities.
On Wednesday, two proposals will be considered by the Genesee County Board of Commissioners: The first is a $60,000 contract renewal that would continue operating roughly 30 existing Flock cameras through September 2026. The second is a $30,000 funding proposal to support additional cameras an extend the system through 2027. FAIR is encouraging community members to attend the March 11 meeting and to continue speaking out about the impacts surveillance technologies can have on privacy civil rights, and all marginalized communities.
“We refuse to buy into the idea that expanding surveillance infrastructure makes our communities safer. said Lucine Jarrah, FAIR Coalition Member. “This is a lie that has been told to us for decades. The result has led to Black, Brown, Muslim, and immigrant communities being subjected to significant violence, suffering, and trauma. Flock is just the newest tool being utilized by the system to surveil, control, and criminalize our communities.”
For questions, interviews, or more information, please contact Alysia Treviño at [email protected] or (810) 922-1887.
The Flint Alliance for Immigrant Rights is a coalition of organizations, advocates, and community members working together to defend and advance the rights of immigrants in the Greater Flint region. FAIR promotes collective action, community education, and policy change to ensure safety, dignity, and justice for all residents.
