U.S. cancels Iran talks scheduled for Switzerland

Why it matters locally: The expansion of facial recognition technology access to local police departments, including the Seattle Police Department and Pierce County police, raises questions regarding privacy and civil liberties for Washington residents.

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The United States has canceled diplomatic talks with Iran that were scheduled to take place in Switzerland, according to officials involved in the negotiations. The decision removes a planned opportunity for face-to-face discussions between the two countries. Details on the reason for the cancellation did not emerge in available reporting. Separately, the Department of Homeland Security announced plans to grant local police departments access to facial recognition technology maintained by ICE. The move would expand the use of the biometric tool beyond federal immigration enforcement to municipal and state law enforcement agencies. The facial recognition system identifies individuals by analyzing facial features in photographs and video. ICE has used the technology in immigration cases for several years. Providing access to local departments would allow officers to search the database during criminal investigations and other law enforcement operations. No timeline for implementation of the facial recognition program expansion was provided.