Lawmakers Demand Answers on DHS Surveillance Tech, Spotlighting Palantir

A group of 34 members of Congress is pressing the Department of Homeland Security for a full accounting of the surveillance technologies powering immigration enforcement. In a letter obtained by WIRED, they direct pointed questions to DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement leadership about software from Palantir and other firms.

The correspondence, sent to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and acting ICE chief Todd Lyons, expresses unease over a suite of tools that includes Palantir's platforms, Clearview AI's facial recognition, PenLink's social media monitoring, and cellphone surveillance equipment from L3Harris and Paragon Solutions. The legislators argue these systems create a "mass surveillance ecosystem" that assists enforcement operations, some affecting U.S. citizens.

Central to the inquiry is Palantir's role. The lawmakers seek specifics on what data feeds into Palantir's systems and demand a comprehensive report on a Palantir-built application named "ELITE," used for identifying enforcement targets. They question what safeguards, if any, protect personal information from misuse.

"DHS and ICE have thus far refused to provide transparency about how they are using these tools and what information they are collecting about American citizens," said Representative Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), a lead author. He contends the administration has "weaponized" such technology for a deportation agenda.

Palantir's government business has surged, hitting roughly $1 billion in payments and obligations for fiscal 2025—nearly double the prior year. While its contracts grew under previous administrations, the increase has accelerated. The company provides ICE's core case management system and other key software.

The letter, requiring a response by April 24, also asks DHS to detail the legal grounds for its data practices and whether it collects information on U.S. citizens or peaceful observers of enforcement actions. As Representative John Garamendi (D-Calif.) stated, "Congress's duty" is to oversee potential illegal surveillance, calling the current situation "an alarming new reality."

Source: Wired