The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is using administrative subpoenas to compel tech companies like Google and Meta to provide identifying data on users critical of the Trump administration. These legal demands bypass judicial review, allowing federal agencies to request information such as IP addresses, login times, and other account details without a judge's approval.
The subpoenas have targeted anonymous social media accounts that document Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, as well as private citizens who have sent critical emails to DHS officials. Civil liberties groups, including the ACLU, have challenged these actions as an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. In several instances, the DHS has withdrawn its subpoenas after legal challenges were filed.