You don’t suppose they’re going to illegally use this do you? They wouldn’t do that…
US immigration agents will have access to one of the world’s most sophisticated hacking tools after a decision by the Trump administration to move ahead with a contract with Paragon Solutions, a company founded in Israel which makes spyware that can be used to hack into any mobile phone – including encrypted applications.
The Department of Homeland Security first entered into a contract with Paragon, now owned by a US firm, in late 2024, under the Biden administration. But the $2m contract was put on hold pending a compliance review to make sure it adhered to an executive order that restricts the US government’s use of spyware, Wired reported at the time.
That pause has now been lifted, according to public procurement documents, which lists the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) as the contracting agency.
It means that one of the most powerful stealth cyberweapons ever created – which was produced outside the US – is now in the hands of an agency that has repeatedly been accused by civil and human rights groups of violating people’s due process rights.
The story was first reported by journalist Jack Poulson on his All-Source Intelligence Substack newsletter.
I feel so much safer, don’t you?
It’s disturbing that this was even entertained by the Biden administration. DHS has no business having access to such technology. I can’t imagine what “compliance” they thought they’d be in that comports with our laws against surveillance against American citizens. In the hands of the Trump administration it’s a given that they will do it.