Court filings say ICE used Palantir software to track protesters
The filing could strengthen claims that surveillance of ICE protests has a chilling effect on First Amendment activity.
Unsealed court filings say U.S. immigration agents have been building dossiers on people who watch or protest ICE activity, using a Palantir system called Investigative Case Management. The alleged files reportedly include photos and license plate numbers, and the material surfaced in a class-action case tied to a January ICE operation in Maine. Plaintiffs’ lawyers argue the practice chills protest rights under the First Amendment. DHS disputes the allegations, calling the case meritless and denying that it keeps a database that labels people as domestic terrorists.
Why it matters
If the allegations are upheld, the issue is no longer just a local protest dispute. It would show federal immigration enforcement using software to collect identifying details on people near ICE activity, raising direct questions about how far protest monitoring can go before it deters speech and assembly. DHS disputes the claims, but the filing puts that practice and its limits before a court.
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Sources
- Engadget