Rep. Summer Lee, Colleagues Slam DHS Response on ICE Use of Foreign Spyware, Vow Continued Oversight

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 03, 2026 -Congresswoman Summer L. Lee (PA-12), alongside Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), issued a joint statement after receiving a response from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) use of foreign spyware.

The response follows a October 6, 2025 letterled by Reps. Lee, Brown and Ansari demanding answers about ICE's reported use of spyware developed by Paragon Solutions, a foreign surveillance company whose product has been reported to covertly access encrypted messages, photos, and location data. In their original oversight letter, the lawmakers requested extensive documentation and information regarding ICE's legal justification, targets, deployment strategy, and compliance with Executive Order 14093.

In DHS's April 1 response, the Department acknowledged that ICE Homeland Security Investigations is using a "specific tool" approved for operational use but failed to provide the documentation and evidence requested by Congress to verify what safeguards, standards, and oversight mechanisms are actually in place.

"It's outrageous that DHS and ICE are using this spyware with no Congressional oversight and a complete lack of compliance standards," said the lawmakers in a joint statement. "Given the track record of the Trump Administration, ICE's feigned compliance with existing standards doesn't mean much; we need to see proof and evidence of ironclad safeguards. That's why we requested so much documentation, which they have completely failed to provide. House Democrats will continue to demand more information and hold ICE accountable for its abuses."

The lawmakers' original letter raised alarm that ICE's use of foreign spyware could threaten civil liberties, privacy, and constitutional protections, particularly if used to target immigrants, communities of color, journalists, advocates, or individuals critical of the Administration. The letter also cited longstanding legal concerns around warrantless access to private cell phone content and location data.

Rather than substantively answering Congress's questions, DHS's response relied on broad assertions that the tool is lawful, certified under Executive Order 14093, and subject to internal legal review. The Department did not provide the communications, legal analyses, target information, policy documents, or oversight records requested by the Members.

Rep. Lee added, "The response we received from ICE makes one thing clear. They are moving forward with invasive spyware technology inside the United States, and instead of answering the serious constitutional and civil rights concerns that we raised, DHS is asking the public to accept vague assurances and fear-based justifications. Our letter asked basic questions about who could be targeted, what legal authority ICE is relying on, and what safeguards exist to prevent abuse, and their response failed to provide those answers. The people most at risk, including immigrants, Black and brown communities, journalists, organizers, and anyone speaking out against government abuse, deserve more than secrecy and deflection from an agency with a long record of overreach and abuse. Constitutional rights do not disappear because this administration wants more surveillance power, and fear tactics cannot be used as a way to sidestep accountability, privacy, and due process. I will keep demanding transparency and fighting to protect the civil liberties of everyone in this country because no government gets to cast aside our rights when they become inconvenient, and I will not stand by while this administration treats the Constitution as a mere suggestion."

Rep. Lee and her colleagues will continue pressing DHS and ICE for the records and information necessary for Congress to conduct meaningful oversight and protect the constitutional rights and civil liberties of people in the United States.

To view the original letter sent, please click here.

To view the response received, please click here.

Congresswoman Summer Lee serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Education and Workforce. Since taking office in January 2023, shehas delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $2.7 Billionbrought back to Western PA, including over $580 million for infrastructure, over $110 million for affordable transit, over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania, and over $55 million on clean energy efforts in and around schools to help keep our kids and communities safe. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania's infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs.  Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 4,000 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.