Openly criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may now lead to legal trouble for American citizens.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be using technologies like facial recognition and request social media information to create a database of anti-ICE protesters. The agency has even reached out to Google, Reddit, Discord and Meta to ask for account information.
Currently, President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown is underway in several states. The administration’s goal is to remove undocumented immigrants and deport them. However, ICE agents have been accused of using violence, attacking families and detaining them. Reports have claimed that the federal immigration agents have been allowed to do so without any legal consequences.
The uproar against ICE intensified after its crackdown in Minneapolis. ICE agents allegedly did not follow protocols and fatally shot Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Both Pretti and Good were labeled as domestic terrorists who were trying to hurt federal agents.
ICE allegedly using facial recognition cameras to scan witnesses of the shooting pic.twitter.com/VZptZ6eRlH
— ape attack survivor (@pissvortex) January 24, 2026
However, video evidence contradicted the government statement. Apart from this, the agents have also been accused of targeting elderly U.S. citizens and detaining kids, separating them from their families. Agents responsible for the deaths of detainees were reportedly given legal immunity by the administration.
Numerous protests have been held across the nation with the “ICE OUT” slogan. The movement also attracted the attention of several celebrities, who wore “ICE OUT” pins at the Grammy Awards and spoke about it on social media.
With DHS creating databases of anti-ICE protesters, it may become dangerous for them to post on social media, even from anonymous accounts. The DHS has been in touch with several tech firms to collect contact information and other details of accounts that are criticizing ICE online.
🚨 HOLY SMOKES: ICE agents in Maine just photographed a civilian’s face and name and said they’re putting it in a database.
When the woman asked why, the agent’s response was basically: “Now you’re considered a domestic terrorist.”
This is intimidation. Not law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/68dEiVd2wa
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) January 23, 2026
The agency sent federal subpoenas to social media platforms like Reddit and Meta to find the names of people attached to such accounts. Privacy advocates say this not only breaches the data confidentiality of online users, but also hinders their freedom of speech.
Many firms notified their users about the requests so that they can fight the subpoenas. The companies are sending notifications to users about the law enforcement requesting for their information.
According to a Google representative, “When we receive a subpoena, our review process is designed to protect user privacy while meeting our legal obligations. We inform users when their accounts have been subpoenaed, unless under legal order not to or in an exceptional circumstance. We review every legal demand and push back against those that are overbroad.”
So far, the DHS has not commented on the online information requests made by the department. Instead, the agency said that it has “broad administrative subpoena authority.”
