In summary Southern California residents are noticing new license plate readers that appear to be operated by the Border Patrol. Cordero is concerned about the use of new automated license plate readers along the U.S.-Mexico border in California. Border Patrol provides little information about its use of license plate readers on its website. Photo by Zoë Meyers for CalMattersNewsom vetoed a bill to strengthen California license plate reader law last fall. Pulling over grandmaAn Associated Press investigation published in November revealed that Border Patrol had hidden license plate readers in ordinary traffic safety equipment.