Following significant cartel arrests and increased concerns over fentanyl shipments, the Trump administration authorized the National Reconnaissance Office to employ satellite surveillance along the U.S.-Mexico border as part of its enforcement measures.

On March 27, 2025, the Trump administration directed the National Reconnaissance Office to enhance its satellite surveillance over the U.S.-Mexico border, an initiative that could intensify authoritarian immigration enforcement and raise civil liberties concerns.

On March 24, 2025, the National Reconnaissance Office launched the classified NROL-69 mission using SpaceX’s Falcon 9, advancing the U.S. government’s surveillance satellite network. The move is part of an effort to modernize intelligence capabilities, with plans for further deployments through 2029.

The National Reconnaissance Office announced plans to drastically increase its fleet by launching a large number of SpaceX-built, mass-produced spy satellites that will provide regularly updated, high-resolution imagery of global targets. This pivot from fewer, larger satellites to a proliferated architecture marks a significant change in surveillance strategy.

The National Reconnaissance Office has transitioned its proliferated constellation of surveillance satellites from demonstration to operational phases, aiming to enhance its intelligence gathering capabilities for military users.

The National Reconnaissance Office announced plans to quadruple its satellite fleet and significantly boost its signals and imagery intelligence output. While the stated goal is to enhance national security against threats from adversaries like China and Russia, the rapid expansion of surveillance technology raises concerns over enhanced state monitoring capabilities that can be exploited for authoritarian control.

On September 10, 2023, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the U.S. Space Force launched the NROL-107 mission, deploying a constellation of satellites known as 'Silent Barker' into geosynchronous orbit to monitor the movements of potential adversary spacecraft. The mission is part of a broader deterrence strategy aimed at providing early warnings of unusual activities in a critical orbital regime.

In response to a January 2017 FOIA request by Human Rights Watch, the National Reconnaissance Office provided documents on July 25, 2017, which included a training presentation and legal memoranda concerning signals intelligence operations under major U.S. surveillance authorities. This disclosure sheds light on the agency’s internal procedures for communications surveillance.

A senior officer at the National Reconnaissance Office is under investigation for alleged contracting irregularities while deputy director Air Force Maj. Gen. Susan Mashiko is accused of threatening whistleblowers and retaliating against those who raised concerns, reflecting an authoritarian management style that undermines accountability.

The National Reconnaissance Office has proposed adding a broad disclosure clause to its contracts. This clause would require contractors, their employees, agents, and subcontractors to report any potential violations of federal criminal law or illegal intelligence activities to the NRO Inspector General or General Counsel, with relevant records and personnel made available. Public comments on the proposal are being solicited shortly after its publication.