DHS Misuses 1930s Customs Law to Access Data on Canadian Criticizing Trump Administration
DHS abuses 1930s customs law in attempt to get data on Canadian from Google
Ars Technica
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempted to obtain location and activity data from Google on a Canadian man who criticized the Trump administration. This move has raised concerns about the misuse of a 1930s customs law, as the man has not entered the U.S. in over a decade.
- 01DHS sought data on a Canadian man after he criticized the Trump administration online.
- 02The man has not entered the U.S. in more than ten years.
- 03The ACLU is representing the man in a lawsuit against DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
- 04The lawsuit claims DHS violated customs law by misusing a summons meant for trade-related records.
- 05Experts argue that the DHS is exploiting the geographic presence of tech companies in the U.S.
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempted to acquire location information and activity logs from Google regarding a Canadian man who publicly criticized the Trump administration following the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. Lawyers representing the unnamed individual are concerned, noting that he has not entered the United States in over a decade. Michael Perloff, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of the District of Columbia, argues that the government's actions reflect a troubling overreach, as they seek data on a foreign citizen without jurisdiction. The request for the man's data was made through a customs summons, a tool intended for investigating customs-related issues. Chris Duncan, a former assistant chief counsel for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, emphasized that the statute was designed for trade compliance and not for tracking individuals' movements. Both DHS and Google have not commented on the situation.
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This case raises significant concerns about privacy rights and government overreach, particularly regarding foreign citizens and the extent of U.S. jurisdiction.
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