Lawsuit Alleges DHS Targeted Immigration Observers and Protesters with Surveillance and Retaliation
A federal lawsuit filed in the Southern District of California alleges that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) illegally used facial recognition technology, license plate readers, and other surveillance tools to identify individuals observing and protesting immigration enforcement actions during the Trump administration. The plaintiffs, including three individuals and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, claim DHS retaliated against them by revoking their TSA PreCheck and Global Entry trusted traveler statuses. The suit highlights incidents in Minneapolis where two observers were killed by federal agents in January 2026. It also describes a practice in Minnesota called 'driven home by ICE,' where observers were followed to their homes. DHS is accused of violating the First Amendment, federal privacy law, and the Administrative Procedure Act. A CBP spokesperson denied that trusted traveler status is revoked for exercising First Amendment rights, citing criminal or customs violations as grounds for revocation.
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