DOJ Seeks Names, Addresses, And Banking Info Of Reddit, 𝕏 Users Criticizing ICE Tactics

The Justice Department is seeking identifying information on Reddit and X users who criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics online, according to a Bloomberg report. The reported requests include names, addresses, and banking information — a far broader sweep than basic account details — and appear tied to posts criticizing ICE operations and agents. A fight over speech and subpoenas The controversy centers on the government’s use of administrative subpoenas, which do not require prior approval from a judge. The Electronic Frontier Foundation says DHS and ICE have used a customs statute, 19 U.S.C. § 1509, to demand identifying information from platforms including Google, Meta, Reddit, and Discord. That law is generally tied to customs duties and imports, not political speech online. EFF sued DHS and ICE in April after the agencies failed to produce records explaining how these subpoenas are authorized, reviewed, or used to identify online critics. Reddit