Coralville City Council Votes to Remove Flock Cameras

Controversial license plate reader system will be taken down after concerns over ICE data access

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The Coralville City Council voted 3-1 to remove the city's Flock license plate reader cameras after the Iowa Attorney General's office asked the city to allow the data to be accessed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The majority of the council decided to terminate the current contract rather than expand the permitted uses of the camera data.

Why it matters

The Flock cameras have been a contentious issue in Coralville, with some residents concerned about privacy and the potential for misuse of the data. The city's decision to remove the cameras reflects the growing debate over the use of surveillance technology and data sharing with federal immigration authorities.

The details

The Flock cameras were used to alert law enforcement when a vehicle identified through an Amber or Silver alert was detected. They also saved license plate numbers and other information for 30 days to cross-reference with arrest warrants and missing vehicle databases. After the Iowa Attorney General's office asked the city to allow ICE to access the camera data, the majority of the council voted to terminate the contract rather than expand the permitted uses of the information.

  • The Coralville City Council voted on Tuesday, February 25, 2026 to remove the Flock cameras.
  • Last week, the Iowa Attorney General's office sent a letter to the city asking them to adjust the rules for who could access the cameras' data so it could be used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The players

Katie Freeman

Coralville City Council member who voted to remove the Flock cameras.

Hai Huynh

Coralville City Council member who voted to remove the Flock cameras.

Mike Knudson

Coralville City Council member who voted to remove the Flock cameras.

Rich Vogelzang

The lone Coralville City Council member who voted against removing the Flock cameras.

Royce Peterson

Coralville City Council member who was absent for the vote to remove the Flock cameras.

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What’s next

The city will now work to remove the Flock cameras from Coralville's streets.

The takeaway

Coralville's decision to remove the controversial Flock license plate reader cameras reflects the ongoing debate over the use of surveillance technology and data sharing with federal agencies like ICE. The move highlights the challenges cities face in balancing public safety and privacy concerns.