DHS Has Used This Controversial Investigative Tool 185,000 Times Since Trump Took Office
Homeland Security Investigations estimates that it has sent out more administrative subpoenas since January 2025 than it did in more than six and a half years between 2016 and mid-August 2022.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has utilized a controversial investigative tool, known as administrative subpoenas, 185,000 times since President Trump took office, according to a report from DHS. This investigative tool, called a 1509 customs summons, has been used by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, which falls under DHS, to obtain information from technology companies, internet platforms, and service providers.
This represents a significant increase compared to previous years, with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filing a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against ICE and DHS to obtain more detailed information about these subpoenas. Critics argue that this use of administrative subpoenas constitutes a dragnet domestic surveillance program, with potential violations of individuals' First Amendment rights and privacy.
Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon has called for legislation to curb federal subpoenas and hold officials accountable for potential abuses.
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