ICE denies having a protester database. A letter to Congress sheds more light
6 hours ago
- #Protest Tracking
- #First Amendment Rights
- #ICE Surveillance
- ICE denies maintaining a database of protesters, but a letter to Congress acknowledges collecting information on individuals suspected of potential law violations, including interference with operations.
- A Maine couple, Xenia Pantos and Carly Williams, experienced intimidation after observing an immigration operation, receiving a call from DHS threatening addition to a domestic terrorist watch list.
- Civil liberties experts argue that ICE's collection of data on peaceful observers violates First Amendment rights, with lawsuits filed against federal agencies over surveillance practices.
- DHS has access to surveillance tools like facial recognition and license plate tracking, raising concerns about the retention and use of personal information from protesters.
- Despite denials, evidence suggests federal agents are collecting and storing data on individuals engaged in lawful activities, with calls for transparency and accountability from Congress and advocacy groups.