Sen Peters Wants ICE to Explain Why It Bought Phone Spyware

Sunday, July 26, 2026

The ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is demanding that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement explain why it has purchased commercial spyware capable of covertly taking control of phones as well as collecting messages, photographs, location information and other personal data.

Posted by lamplighter at 11:31 AM | 16 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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EXCLUSIVE: A senator is demanding that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement explain why it has purchased commercial spyware capable of covertly taking control of phones as well as collecting messages, photographs, location information and other personal data.

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-- CBS News (@cbsnews.com) 11:21 AM Â· Jul 24, 2026

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... Democratic Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan called the purchase "one of the most significant expansions of DHS and ICE's surveillance ambitions to date," flagging potential civil liberties concerns and risks to U.S. national security. Peters sought clarity from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in a letter exclusively obtained by CBS News and dated July 23, calling into question ICE's $2 million, sole-source purchase of Graphite, a surveillance tool developed by Paragon Solutions and now owned by REDLattice.

"Misuse of Graphite is not hypothetical," Peters wrote, mentioning public reporting that more than 90 journalists and civil society members were targeted by the technology across several countries.

While the senator from Michigan does not allege that ICE has used Graphite against journalists, protesters or other Americans, Peters demanded the agency disclose whether the software has been deployed domestically, who has been targeted and legal authority supporting use of the tool.

The ranking member said he was "deeply troubled about how Graphite might be used in the United States to target Americans," pointing to ongoing concerns about ICE's collection of information involving protests, social media posts and other First Amendment-protected activities. ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-07-25 03:55 PM | Reply

To spy on people?

#2 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-07-25 04:33 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

It's none of your business what the government is doing.
--Republicans

#3 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-07-25 07:45 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

How does using this sort of technology not violate the 4th Amendment?

And besides, why wasn't this money spent buying dash-cams and body-cams?

OCU

#4 | Posted by OCUser at 2026-07-26 01:35 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

How does using this sort of technology not violate the 4th Amendment?

Under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, citizens are protected against unreasonable searches and seizures.

However, if law enforcement demonstrates probable cause that a device contains evidence of a crime, a judge can legally authorize an "unreasonable" intrusion via a warrant.

The question is, of course, does the Bag Man have probable cause and does he even care if he does? And does he even bother with warrants?

Accountability is coming. Preserve all documents for the upcoming investigations.

#5 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-07-26 03:13 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"How does using this sort of technology not violate the 4th Amendment?"

If it doesn't violate the Fourth Amendment, why can't we use this technology too?
There's no Constitutional reason this information should be limited to police use for official police purposes.
It's simply a collection data on people in public, where there is no right to privacy.

#6 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-07-26 03:23 PM | Reply

LOL This is pretty funny, doing any sort of search and you dig up this ----- been going on for sometime now.

BUT NOW its a problem LMAO ..

In 2024, the agency signed a now-ended $2 million contract with Paragon Solutions for an unspecified product. Whether ICE ever used the tool or continues to use it is an open question.

That contract was swiftly put on hold by the Biden administration to investigate whether it complied with a 2023 executive order signed by the former president that prohibits federal agencies from purchasing commercial spyware that poses a significant security risk to the U.S. or risk of misuse by foreign governments.
www.vpm.org

Internal Documents Show How Close the F.B.I. Came to Deploying Spyware
Christopher Wray, the F.B.I.'s director, told Congress last December that the bureau purchased the phone hacking tool Pegasus for research and development purposes.
www.nytimes.com

You know the governments been using it .... for quite sometime now.

#7 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-07-26 03:33 PM | Reply

---- off Imbecile

#8 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-07-26 04:25 PM | Reply

Probably because they have the job of tracking down and arresting illegal alien criminals.

#9 | Posted by THEBULL at 2026-07-26 06:30 PM | Reply

Who else isn't surprised Trump supporters are willing to giving up our right to privacy because they hate immigrants more than they value our freedom.

#10 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-07-26 06:32 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

My concern is that this sort of technology can be used not only to track down undocumented individuals, but also protestors or just innocent bystanders who might witness activities or events, such as the recent shootings. That's my primary concern about it possibly violating the 4th Amendment. Keep in mind this technology doesn't discriminate who it's gathering data on, at least not until after someone looks at it and decides if it's relevant or not.

OCU

#11 | Posted by OCUser at 2026-07-26 10:42 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

@#10 ... they hate immigrants more than they value our freedom. ...

Agreed.

But there is also the aspect that OCU notes in #11.

Is this ~trial run~ of putting spyware on cell phones just the start of a ramp up by Pres Trump's apparent burgeoning private militia, a.k.a. ICE?

#12 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-07-26 11:15 PM | Reply

Illegal aliens have no constitutional rights.

#13 | Posted by THEBULL at 2026-07-27 12:04 AM | Reply

Illegal aliens have no constitutional rights.

That is probably not true.

#14 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-07-27 12:07 AM | Reply

@#13 ... Illegal aliens have no constitutional rights. ...

I disagree.

For starters, SCOTUS has stated that they have the right to due process. A right that the Trump admin has violated.

There is also this ...

Do illegal immigrants have rights under the constitution? (January 2026)
legalknowledgebase.com

... The Constitution guarantees due process rights to all "persons," not just citizens.

This means non-citizens, including undocumented immigrants, are entitled to fair treatment under the law.

This includes the right to defend themselves in court. ...

What rights do illegal immigrants have in the United States?

Although undocumented immigrants are not guaranteed all the same rights as US citizens and legal residents, they have certain protections under the Constitution. These include the right to due process, the right to be with family, the right against unreasonable searches and seizures, and the right to education. ...

#15 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-07-27 12:17 AM | Reply

Oops, forgot to include the title and link for the second half of my #15 ...

Here it is ...

Do illegal immigrants have rights under the constitution?
legalknowledgebase.com

... The Constitution guarantees due process rights to all "persons," not just citizens. This means non-citizens, including undocumented immigrants, are entitled to fair treatment under the law. This includes the right to defend themselves in court.

What rights do illegal immigrants have in the United States?

Although undocumented immigrants are not guaranteed all the same rights as US citizens and legal residents, they have certain protections under the Constitution. These include the right to due process, the right to be with family, the right against unreasonable searches and seizures, and the right to education. ...

Apologies...

#16 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-07-27 12:21 AM | Reply