TL;DR: DHS has sent hundreds of administrative subpoenas to Google, Meta, Reddit, and Discord demanding identifying information about accounts that criticize ICE or track its operations. According to the New York Times, Reddit, Meta, and Google voluntarily complied with some requests, before any judge approved them. Administrative subpoenas don't require judicial approval. They used to be reserved for emergencies like child abductions. Now they're being used to unmask people who post about immigration raids. The EFF and ACLU are urging tech companies to resist.
Hundreds of Subpoenas. Zero Judges.
Over the past few months, the Department of Homeland Security has sent hundreds of administrative subpoenas to Google, Meta, Reddit, and Discord. The demands: names, email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses, and any other identifying information for accounts that have criticized ICE or reported the locations of immigration agents.[1][2]
Administrative subpoenas are different from search warrants. A warrant requires a judge to sign off. An administrative subpoena comes directly from the agency itself, with no judicial review required. If a company refuses, DHS can either drop it or go to court to try to enforce it.[2]
These subpoenas used to be reserved for emergencies. Child abductions. Immediate threats. According to the New York Times, they're now being deployed against people running anonymous Instagram accounts that share posts about ICE raids in their neighborhoods.[1][2]
The shift tells you everything about what DHS considers a threat in 2026.
They Didn't Wait for a Court Order
Here's the part that should make you delete your accounts: Reddit, Meta, and Google voluntarily complied with at least some of these requests.[3]
The companies say they notify users and give them a 14-day window to fight the subpoena in court before handing over data. A Google spokesperson told reporters their "review process is designed to protect user privacy while meeting our legal obligations."[3]
But not everyone gets that 14-day window. British journalist Amandla Thomas-Johnson found out Google had already handed over his data (including bank account and credit card numbers) after the fact. He learned about it from an email notification in April 2026. By then, the information was already with ICE.[4]
Thomas-Johnson's offense? He attended a five-minute pro-Palestine protest at a Cornell job fair in 2024. That was enough for ICE to request his financial records from Google.[4]
He's now in Senegal. He believes ICE wanted the information to detain him.
EFF and ACLU: Stop Complying
On February 11, 2026, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and ACLU of Northern California sent an open letter to Amazon, Apple, Discord, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Reddit, Snap, TikTok, and X.[5]
The message was direct: stop handing over user data to DHS without a fight.
The letter made three demands:
- Require a court order. Administrative subpoenas have no judicial oversight. Companies should refuse to comply without one.
- Give users maximum notice. Let people know they're being targeted while there's still time to challenge it.
- Fight gag orders. Push back against restrictions that prevent notifying users at all.
The letter noted a pattern: "DHS has consistently targeted people engaged in First Amendment activity," including those documenting ICE operations, criticizing government policies, and attending protests.[5]
When users have fought back with ACLU lawyers, DHS has withdrawn its subpoenas rather than face a judge. That tells you the agency knows these demands are legally shaky. But most people don't have a lawyer on call. And nonprofits are already stretched thin.[5]
One Win in Philadelphia
Not every subpoena has succeeded. In October 2025, a Philadelphia man, identified only as John Doe, sent an email to a government official expressing concerns about immigration enforcement after reading about an attempted deportation of an Afghan asylum seeker.[6]
Two weeks later, DHS agents showed up at his home to interrogate him.[6]
Then DHS subpoenaed Google for his personal information. The ACLU stepped in. In February 2026, the court sided with Doe. DHS withdrew the subpoena rather than face a ruling.[6]
ACLU attorney Steven A. Loney called it "a resounding win for our First Amendment rights." The court found DHS lacked statutory authority to issue subpoenas unrelated to immigration enforcement investigations.[6]
One citizen complained about government policy. DHS showed up at his door, then tried to pull his Google data. That's the pattern.
FIRE Takes It to Court
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has filed a lawsuit accusing Attorney General Bondi and DHS Secretary Noem of coercing platforms to remove ICE-related content entirely.[7]
The lawsuit alleges DHS officials are attempting "to control what the public can see, hear, or say about ICE operations."[7]
Oral arguments are scheduled for March 2026. A ruling is expected by late spring.
Meanwhile, the subpoenas keep going out.
This Isn't New. We've Seen It Before.
In January 2026, a leaked DHS intelligence bulletin showed agents building profiles on Reddit users who called for peaceful protests against ICE. One user posted in r/RioGrandeValley asking neighbors to protest. DHS responded by cataloguing their posts about the Houston Texans, Stephen King novels, and movie recommendations.
The bulletin acknowledged "no specific reporting of planned violence." They monitored anyway.
The subpoena campaign is the next phase. First they monitor. Then they demand names.
What You Can Do
Assume You're Not Anonymous
Your Reddit, Instagram, and Discord accounts are one subpoena away from having your name attached. Use VPNs that don't log. Don't reuse usernames. Don't link accounts to your primary email or phone number.
Know Your Rights
If you receive notice that a company got a subpoena for your data, you have 14 days to challenge it, but only if the company actually tells you. Document everything. Contact the ACLU or EFF immediately.
Don't Self-Censor (But Be Smart)
The First Amendment protects your right to criticize government agencies. Courts have sided with defendants when DHS overreaches. But if you're at heightened risk, consider whether posts can be traced back to you.
References
- TechCrunch: Homeland Security reportedly sent hundreds of subpoenas seeking to unmask anti-ICE accounts (February 14, 2026)
- WinBuzzer: DHS Subpoenas Google, Meta to Unmask ICE Critics on Social Media (February 14, 2026)
- Gizmodo: Reddit, Meta, and Google Voluntarily Gave DHS Info of Anti-ICE Users (February 2026)
- The Intercept: Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist's Bank and Credit Card Numbers (February 10, 2026)
- EFF: Open Letter to Tech Companies: Protect Your Users From Lawless DHS Subpoenas (February 2026)
- Davis Vanguard: Court Sides with ACLU, Strikes Down DHS Subpoena for Google Data (February 2026)
- IBTimes: DHS Orders Silicon Valley To Unmask Anti-ICE Accounts (February 2026)