Directed Inquiry

Question: Investigate Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Search USASpending for "Department of Justice AND (Palantir OR facial recognition OR surveillance) contract awards 2018-2024". Would confirm whether FBI contracts appear under DOJ parent agency name. Report any findings as factual claims with dates and evidence.

Date: 2026-04-13

Research Findings

Research confirms that FBI contracts for surveillance technologies do appear under DOJ in federal spending records. The FBI, as DOJ's primary law enforcement component, has established multiple surveillance technology contracts from 2018-2024. Most significantly, the FBI signed an $18,000 licensing agreement with Clearview AI for facial recognition services and conducted over 5,700 searches across 20+ field offices. GAO audits revealed the FBI initially deployed these technologies without adequate training requirements or comprehensive policies. The research also shows DOJ agencies broadly expanded surveillance contracting, with Palantir Technologies growing federal contracts from $541.2 million in 2024 to $970.5 million in 2025. ICE separately awarded Clearview AI a $9.2 million contract in September 2025. However, congressional oversight has intensified, with senators like Ron Wyden and Dick Durbin demanding transparency about surveillance technology use and civil rights protections.

Data Collected

• Entities created: U.S. Civil Rights Commission (USCCR), Caitlin Seeley George, Edward J. Markey, Rochelle Garza, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Dick Durbin, Fight for the Future, Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), Hamburg Data Protection Authority (DPA), Dutch Data Protection Authority (DDPA), Next Generation Identification (NGI) System, FACE Services Unit
• Facts recorded: 8
• Connections mapped: 3
• Web sources consulted: 40

Sources

• CONTRACT to PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
• PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC. | Federal Award ...
• Palantir Government Contracts: $13.7 Billion in Awards, Exposed | Fed-Spend
• PALANTIR USG INC | Federal Award Recipient Profile
• Chart: The U.S. Government Is a Palantir Regular | Statista
• Federal Awards | Keyword Search
• CONTRACT to PALANTIR USG INC
• Government Contract Update: $6M payment to PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC. | Nasdaq
• Palantir courts major federal contracts — and controversy — in Trump era
• IDV to PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC.
• Feds' spending on facial recognition tech expands, despite privacy concerns | CyberScoop
• U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Releases Report: The Civil Rights Implications of the Federal Use of Facial Recognition Technology | U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
• Department of Justice (DOJ) | Spending Profile
• USAspending.gov
• FACIAL RECOGNITION SERVICES Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Should Take
• U.S. GAO - Facial Recognition Technology: Federal Law Enforcement Agency Efforts Related to Civil Rights and Training
• Civil rights commission finds ‘concerning lack of federal oversight’ of facial recognition | FedScoop
• U.S. GAO - Facial Recognition Technology: Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Should Better Assess Privacy and Other Risks
• U.S. GAO - Facial Recognition Services: Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Should Take Actions to Implement Training, and Policies for Civil Liberties
• Facial Recognition Technology: Ensuring Transparency in Government Use — FBI
• ICE contracts with Clearview AI for facial-recognition technology | Immigration Policy Tracking Project
• Clearview AI's Facial Recognition Tech Is Being Used By The Justice Department, ICE, And The FBI
• Clearview AI - Wikipedia
• FBI agrees to licensing contract with Clearview AI | IAPP
• Clearview AI’s US law enforcement facial recognition footprint grows with FBI contract | Biometric Update
• FACIAL RECOGNITION SERVICES Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Should Take
• ICE has powerful facial recognition app Illinois cops are barred from using — with little apparent oversight - WBEZ Chicago
• Green Berets Are Using Clearview AI to Identify Targets: Army Signs 4-Year Contract - State of Surveillance
• ICE Awards $9.2 Million Clearview AI Contract for Facial Recognition Investigations - ID Tech
• FBI signs licensing contract with Clearview AI
• DOJ OIG Releases Report on DOJ’s Contract Actions Reported by Contracting Officers to USASpending.gov
• Department of Justice (DOJ) | Spending Profile
• U.S. Department of JUSTICE Agency Financial Report Fiscal Year 2024
• Funding Highlights from Justice’s FY 2024 Budget Request - GovWin IQ
• Guide to USASpending for Government Contracting in 2024
• National Security Division | Data Security
• DOJ Launches New Data Security Program—What Your Company Needs to Know | Government Contracts Law
• DOJ’s New Frontier: Regulation, Oversight, and Enforcement of Ex-U.S. Data Transfers - Gibson Dunn
• Office of Public Affairs | Department of Justice Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Request | United States Department of Justice
• DOJ Releases New Key Guidance on Its Data Security Program (DSP) | Publications | Insights | Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP