DHS demanded Google surrender data on a Canadian man over anti-ICE posts
4 hours ago
- #customs summons abuse
- #digital privacy
- #DHS subpoena
- DHS requested Google for a Canadian man's location and activity logs after he criticized the Trump administration online following killings by immigration agents.
- The man's lawyers claim he hasn't entered the U.S. in over a decade and argue DHS abused customs summons power, violating laws intended for import-related investigations.
- A customs summons is an administrative subpoena not reviewed by a judge; Google alerted the man despite a non-disclosure request.
- The summons cites the Tariff Act of 1930 but lacks specific reasons; lawyers say the man didn't import/export during the requested timeframe.
- DHS allegedly targeted the man for his online posts condemning agents after killings, not for customs violations.
- DHS has used customs and other subpoenas to unmask critics; a Reddit user case led to a withdrawn administrative subpoena replaced by a grand jury one.
- Tech companies like Google, Reddit, Discord, and Meta received hundreds of administrative subpoenas; congressmembers and EFF sought data on requests.
- Between 2016-2022, DHS issued over 170,000 customs summons, often to tech firms; Twitter sued over a 2017 request, but DHS withdrew it.
- A DHS OIG investigation found CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility violated policies in 20% of reviewed summonses.
- Experts warn such abuses undermine legitimate law enforcement and reflect a shift where other countries may now need to protect citizens from U.S. actions.