Ethan Carter
Agents from the Department of Homeland Security have created detailed profiles on individuals monitoring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in the field. These profiles are stored in a system known as Investigative Case Management (ICM), which is developed and maintained by Palantir Technologies, as reported by Wired.
This information comes from a proposed class action lawsuit initiated by observers against state courts in Maine. The case was sealed in September, but a redacted version was made public recently. JoAnna Suriani, an attorney for Protect Democracy representing the plaintiffs, stated, “The government is treating individuals who exercise their First Amendment rights and seek accountability as criminal suspects, and we are urging the court to intervene.”
A spokesperson from DHS dismissed these allegations as “meritless,” claiming that the lawsuit is based on a false assertion that DHS operates a database of “domestic terrorists.” It is important to note that former President Donald Trump, a staunch supporter of DHS, has expressed desires to establish such a database. ICE operates under DHS, alongside other agencies such as Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection. Palantir, famously linked to billionaire Peter Thiel, is known for its controversial data practices, deriving its name from an all-seeing orb in The Lord of the Rings, used by the dark lord Sauron for surveillance and manipulation.
In July, ICE agents fatally shot 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine, an incident that sparked nationwide protests amid a summer surge in ICE operations. Throughout Trump’s second term, immigration authorities have shot at least 21 individuals, leading to a minimum of 10-11 fatalities. The American Civil Liberties Union reports that at least 57 individuals have died in ICE custody since Trump’s second inauguration, and there have been instances where U.S. citizens were wrongfully detained by ICE.
The lawsuit further alleges that DHS agents conducted surveillance around the homes of protesters and observers to intimidate them. One identified agent, referred to as “Agent J.C.,” reportedly created ICM profiles for six individuals involved in the protests (Wired notes the actual count is eight). J.C. tagged two individuals filmed in a parking lot as “Threat to Law Enforcement, Professional Protestor” within the ICM database. It is essential to clarify that the concept of “professional” protesters is largely a myth, often associated with orchestrated campaigns by lobbyists, corporations, or politicians.
The complaint claims that J.C. sent images of these two individuals to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer for facial recognition verification using an app called Mobile Query. J.C. allegedly searched one plaintiff’s license plate through a LexisNexis database (Accurint) after the individual documented an arrest in Portland, Maine. According to the lawsuit, J.C. then contacted the plaintiff’s spouse, who is also a plaintiff, and issued a threat stating that individuals engaging in similar actions in the future could be added to a domestic terrorism watchlist.
Palantir’s ICM, utilized by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for case file management, has received nearly $126 million in government contracts since 2022 for maintenance and expansion, including a $30 million contract to create “ImmigrationOS.”
The government’s motion to dismiss claimed these actions were isolated incidents in violation of DHS policy and argued that such behavior did not amount to “unconstitutional retaliation,” asserting that the agents should not face any repercussions.
Daniel Mercer
