ICE's Secret Watchlists of Americans
9 days ago
- #civil liberties
- #government secrecy
- #surveillance
- ICE and FBI maintain over a dozen secret watchlists tracking protesters and others labeled as 'domestic terrorists'.
- Watchlists include codenames like Bluekey, Grapevine, Reaper, and Sparta, with some originally created for vetting immigrants.
- Post-9/11, watchlisting expanded domestically, creating a secretive system few understand, despite initial intentions to reduce confusion.
- Current watchlists include 1.1M international terrorists, 10K domestic terrorists, and 85K transnational criminals.
- Watchlists process tips, photos, and videos, enabling surveillance and linking individuals via proximity or 'call chaining'.
- Civil liberties experts question the legal justification for these watchlists, citing Privacy Act violations.
- DHS and FBI are accused of over-collecting data, leading to potential civil rights violations and a 'Big Brother' scenario.
- Attending protests or criticizing law enforcement can land individuals on these watchlists, raising First Amendment concerns.
- Experts warn that secret watchlists foster paranoia and could lead to tragic outcomes if not made transparent.