Automation on the Move

Systems based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making (ADM) are increasingly being experimented with and used on migrants, refugees, and travelers. Too often, this is done without adequate democratic discussion or oversight. In addition, their use lacks transparency and justification to those who are subjected to these systems, as a growing body of literature and evidence shows. This needs to change.

Automation on the Move Illustration

About

With the Automation on the Move project, AlgorithmWatch will help to challenge this untenable status quo for people on the move. This means understanding how these ADM systems are actually being used, by whom, why, and what safeguards are lacking. It also means developing proposals on how to address shortcomings and advocate for adequate regulation, oversight, and enforcement.

Goals

1. Coalition building. Given the complexity of the issues raised by the adoption of automated systems for people on the move, we believe that we can best tackle the challenges collaboratively, rather than competing with existing research and advocacy efforts.
We therefore joined the ProtectNotSurveil coalition, reached out to civil society organizations, academics, and journalists at work in this field, and organized a workshop on Rethinking Tech in Migration, to help fill the gaps together — both through concrete policy measures and ideological critiques of the current status quo.

2. Evidence building. Automated systems adopted for border surveillance and the management of human mobility are structurally opaque, and therefore much is left in the dark about how they are researched, developed and ultimately deployed. Automation on the Move aims to challenge that, with a specific focus on understanding the actual outputs and vision behinds EU-funded research and innovation projects involving automated technologies in migration.

3. In-depth analysis. Starting from the newly collected evidence, Automation on the Move goes in-depth into the specifics of systems that are yet to be fully understood or problematized, the roots of the main trends we observe and the most important issues these sociotechnical systems currently raise for people on the move. We aim for maximum detail in the analyses we produce — and for maximum collaboration.

4. Policy recommendations. Automation on the Move provides policy recommendations for the use of AI and ADM in migration, based on the evidence gathered and in-depth analyses of the main trends emerging in the field.

Methods

In order to achieve those goals, the project adopts a mixture of investigative journalism, desk research, in-depth analysis of the available literature and use cases, and network building.

Project manager Fabio Chiusi leads these efforts, which are meant to be collaborative and coordinated with partner organizations whenever needed and possible.

The project is funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung.

Main Findings

During Automation on the Move, we investigated EU-funded research and innovation projects in border security that involve the use of automated systems and artificial intelligence, studied the history and ideology behind the use of these technologies, and worked with international experts to obtain much needed change in how we conceive of and deploy automation and AI to control human mobility.

Stories

We embarked on an impossible quest for transparency in EU-funded research projects in border security. Predictably, we failed. These six stories detail how, and why the obstacles we found embody an untenable status quo that is fundamentally based on systemic opacity.

Investigated Projects

The increasing adoption of AI and automated systems for border security and the management of human mobility at EU borders calls for a detailed scrutiny of the research and innovation projects that provide the building blocks of Europe’s “automated fortress”. With this database of Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe-funded projects, AlgorithmWatch aims to provide its contribution towards filling the existing knowledge gaps, in the public interest 


AI-ARC, an AI and VR-based platform for maritime awareness and anomalies detection


September 1, 2021 - February 29, 2024; funded with 6,889,792.50 € (100% by EU)

ANDROMEDA, a platform for cheaper and more effective border surveillance through seamless, enhanced data sharing

September 1, 2019 - August 31, 2021; funded with 6,009,589.29 € (83% by EU)

ARESIBO, an AI and AR-based platform to improve the cognitive capabilities and perception of border guards

May 1, 2019 - July 31, 2022; funded with 6,999,882.50 € (100% by EU)

BORDERUAS, enhanced surveillance capabilities for unmanned aerial vehicles deployed in SAR applications and for rough terrain detection

June 1, 2020 - May 31, 2024; funded with 6,997,332.50 € (100% by EU)

COMPASS 2020, expanding surveillance reach through the combined use and seamless coordination of manned and unmanned assets


May 1, 2019 - October 31, 2021; funded with 5,952,299.43 € (81% by EU)

CRiTERIA, a framework for human-rights sensitive risk and vulnerability analysis for border agencies

September 1, 2021 - August 31, 2024; funded with 4,890,177.50 € (100% by EU)

D4FLY, new technologies for on the fly identity verification at border crossings

September 1, 2019 - August 31, 2022; funded with 6,984,727.50 € (100% by EU)

EFFECTOR, an interoperable, intelligent framework to unlock the full capabilities of maritime surveillance

October 1, 2020 - September 30, 2022; funded with 5,882,380.00 € (85% by EU)

EURMARS, a new vision for a multitasking, AI and UxVs-based maritime surveillance platform


October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025; funded with 7,085,214.75 € (83% by EU)

FLEXI-cross, a toolkit of mobile, predictive, dynamic, and augmented border-checking solutions

September 1, 2019 - August 31, 2025; funded with 5,019,000.00 € (79% by EU)

FOLDOUT, a system to effectively detect illegal cross-border activity through dense foliage

September 1, 2018 - August 31, 2022; funded with 8,199,387.75 € (100% by EU)

I-SEAMORE, an integrated maritime surveillance system based on unmanned vehicles and AI

January 1, 2023 - June 30, 2025; funded with 7,995,929.38 € (81% by EU)

iBorderCtrl, a comprehensive emotion recognition-based technological toolkit for border controls

September 1, 2016 - August 31, 2019; funded with 4,501,877.50 € (100% by EU)

iMARS, a set of solutions to better detect identity document fraud and image manipulation forgeries

September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2024; funded with 6,988,521.25 € (100% by EU)

ITFLOWS, using machine learning and sentiment analysis to predict and manage migration flows

September 1, 2020 - September 30, 2023; funded with 4,871,832.50 € (100% by EU)

MARISA, a toolkit to enhance maritime surveillance through the “intelligent” fusion of various data sources, including social networks


May 1, 2017 - February 29, 2020; funded with 9,765,658.75 € (82% by EU)

MELCHIOR, an AI and infrasound-based solution to detect concealed items

September 1, 2022 - August 31, 2025; funded with 5,480,122.50 € (91% by EU)

METICOS, an AI-based, holistic solution to monitor and predict the social impact and acceptability of border surveillance technologies


September 1, 2020 - October 31, 2023; funded with 4,997,481.25 € (100% by EU)

NESTOR, an AI-based surveillance platform for the complete surveillance of EU borders and beyond


November 1, 2021 - April 30, 2023; funded with 6,108,593.75 € (82% by EU)

ODYSSEUS, AI and advanced biometrics for seamless border-crossings

January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2025; funded with 4,598,000.00 € (75% by EU)

PERSONA, an integrated impact assessment method for socially and ethically acceptable no-gate crossing solutions


September 1, 2018 - February 28, 2021; funded with 2,984,700.00 € (100% by EU)

ROBORDER, an autonomous border surveillance system with unmanned air, land, water and underwater mobile vehicles

May 1, 2017 - August 31, 2021; funded with 8,922,410.03 € (90% by EU)

SMILE, a novel smart mobility concept through biometrics and risk analysis

July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2020; funded with 4,999,276.25 € (100% by EU)

TRESSPASS, a risk-based border management system that reads your web content and facial microexpressions

June 1, 2018 - November 30, 2021; funded with 9,299,391.25 € (85% by EU)

Testimonials

We are collaborating with civil society organizations, journalists, and researchers to explore the impact of automation at EU borders on People on the Move. Here are their perspectives on the rise of automation at EU borders and its direct impact on individuals:

Currently, there is a growing trend towards increasing the use of digital and technological systems at borders which prioritizes the prevention of people moving from the Global South to the north over saving lives or guaranteeing their rights. This policy provokes deaths, while generating enormous profits for the companies that develop and operate these systems, funded by our taxpayer money. Despite this, the opacity and the lack of transparency surrounding these technologies prevents us from knowing which systems are being used and their real impact on people. These practices are backed by legal frameworks and tools, such as Schengen, EURODAC, PEMA, and the AI Act, which enable this migration control from colonial and racist ideologies. Despite these obstacles, it remains crucial to continue researching, raising awareness, and organizing to challenge this paradigm.
Youssef M. Ouled
AlgoRace (Spain)
Border automation is reshaping the lives of people on the move. Often presented as tools for search and rescue, these technologies are frequently used for deterrence - sometimes in ways that are violent or unlawful. In the European Union’s refugee camps, automation can directly influence daily life and asylum outcomes. Despite these impacts, EU authorities are doubling down on AI-driven measures.
Lydia Emmanouilidou
Freelance Journalist (Greece)
Recently our field reporters have received more and more reports which show the use of surveillance technology on the borders, including drones, thermal imaging technology, and cell phone tracking. Although use of surveillance and technology in border control is justified through a dangerous rhetoric of safety and crime prevention, we know that this is not the case. Laws and protections which should protect people from dehumanisation are being eroded – both at Brussels-level policy and through exploitation of technology by violent police forces with inadequate oversight.
E.
No Name Kitchen (Balkans and Mediterranean)
Border automation is just the latest chapter in Europe's dehumanizing approach to migration. People are taking even more risks to avoid being caught in this unfair system that works against their security and basic human rights. A democratic debate isn't just necessary - it's urgent. Projects like Automation on the Move equip us to challenge this dangerous trajectory before it's too late. The real threat isn't migration - it's the erosion of everyone's rights. Want security? Let's address what truly makes people anxious and insecure: rising living costs, unstable jobs, crumbling welfare, failing healthcare, and climate change. These are Europe's real challenges if we want security for everyone, migrants and refugees included.
Andrea Menapace
Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights, CILD (Italy)
Automated risk assessment tools significantly transform how people on the move are identified, reducing them to data-driven risk profiles that may shift with changing algorithms. Rather than being seen as complex individuals with unique stories, people on the move are increasingly categorised through algorithms that prioritise specific variables such as nationality or travel history. This numeric abstraction strips away their individuality and makes their identities contingent and unstable. Ultimately, this shift in identification reframes individuals as probabilities to be managed rather than as human beings deserving of dignity and care.
Dr. Derya Ozkul
Assistant Professor in Sociology, University of Warwick (UK)

Bibliography

We compiled an extensive thematic bibliography of the main resources that help understand the relationship between technology and human mobility, with a specific focus on automation, AI and migration-related policies. It features reports, books, papers, news articles, advocacy campaigns and tools. To read our bibliography, click here: