No special privelages, take back control

Birmingham, we cannot allow Israel to breach citizens' privacy

Israel’s interference in the United States continues to increase at an alarming rate as Birmingham, Alabama’s City Council plans to enter a contract with an Israeli data mining company.  

In their last meeting, the Birmingham City Council approved a resolution after it was recommended by Mayor Randall Woodfin to create a contract between the local police department and Cellebrite Incorporated.  

https://bhamal.granicus.com/DocumentViewer.php?file=bhamal_5187d9ce3fc5b37ba05d7ff1562ce16d.pdf&view=1 

The approved contract enters the Birmingham Police Department into a software agreement with Cellebrite to use their services for one year in exchange for $100,250. Cellebrite is a digital intelligence company headquartered in Petah Tikvah, Israel that provides services to law enforcement agencies to “enforce compliance,” according to its website.  

Cellebrite Inc. openly expresses its support for American law enforcement agencies on their website. The company promotes their support in America’s “shared mission” to protect national security.

Cellebrite | End-to-End Digital Investigations Software & Platform 

The support for American federal agencies extends past just supportive words, working with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on three separate occasions. According to the Cellebrite website, in 2017, 2019 and 2025, Cellebrite entered three separate multi-million-dollar contracts with ICE, all under Trump’s presidency. 

 Cellebrite | End-to-End Digital Investigations Software & Platform 

Cellebrite’s policies make it clear that part of their mission is to enforce border security, specifically stating the company collects and keeps all available data uncovered at border patrol sites.  

Not only has Cellebrite worked with ICE, but also with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation on a recent case. Cellebrite worked with the FBI in finding digital evidence to build the case against the man who attempted to assassinate President Trump in July of 2024. The man was convicted due to the evidence found on his personal cellphone through Cellebrite’s investigation.  

https://www.internetnewsflash.com/ice-will-pay-up-to-35m-to-cellebrite-for-phone- hacking-tech/ 

https://archive.ph/20240719000315/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024- 07-18/fbi-used-new-cellebrite-software-to-access-trump-shooter-s-phone 

Israel’s constant interference in American politics is a divisive issue, but a foreign nation having access to private citizen’s data should be a wakeup call for every American.

Allowing Israel to have special privileges over the political system of the richest nation in the world seems to be a bipartisan position in past years. Rather than unquestioningly allowing Israel to breach citizens’ privacy, the bipartisan position needs to choose to stand up to it and take back control.