Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul called on Congress March 24, along with attorneys general from 16 other states, to take immediate action against the use of commercially purchased data and artificial intelligence tools by federal agencies that enable mass surveillance without oversight.
The coalition is asking Congress to close what they describe as a “data-broker loophole” that allows government agencies to access detailed information about Americans’ lives without warrants or public knowledge. They also seek new standards for transparency and accountability among data brokers.
“Accessing personal information in this manner without consent or a warrant constitutes alarming overreach by the federal government,” Raoul said. “I will continue to advocate for guardrails and accountability to protect our privacy and our residents, in Illinois and across the entire nation, from invasive Big Brother surveillance.”
In their letter sent to Senate and House committee leaders, Raoul and his colleagues said that current laws like the Privacy Act of 1974 are outdated given advances in technology such as AI tools that can re-identify individuals from pseudonymized datasets. The letter describes how federal agencies have bought billions of airline ticket records and mobile location data from commercial brokers—practices that have already raised bipartisan concern after media reports revealed tracking of travel routines.
The coalition’s proposed reforms include requiring judicial warrants before accessing Americans’ web browsing activity or location data; prohibiting purchases of information otherwise protected by warrant requirements; ensuring intelligence agencies cannot bypass domestic surveillance limits through foreign authorities or third-party vendors; and mandating deletion of unlawfully collected data along with any algorithms trained on it.
Raoul’s office has advocated for vulnerable groups including workers, immigrants, and seniors according to its official website. The office handles thousands of consumer complaints each year according to its official website while aiming to protect consumers, promote safer communities, and support environmental issues according to its official website. These advocacy efforts extend throughout Illinois according to its official website, partnering with law enforcement on crime victim support and open government initiatives according to its official website, as well as offering services such as complaint filing for consumer fraud or civil rights violations according to its official website.
Joining Raoul in sending the letter were attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
