Throughout Trump's second term, Department of Homeland Security has systematically used administrative subpoenas—which require no judicial oversight—to force tech companies to reveal the identities of anonymous social media users who criticize Trump administration policies or document ICE enforcement operations. DHS targeted at least five Instagram accounts, including @montcowatch in Pennsylvania, that shared immigrant rights resources and information about ICE raids.
In one case, DHS issued a subpoena to Google within hours of a retiree sending a critical email to a DHS attorney, and federal agents later visited his home. All challenged subpoenas were withdrawn after ACLU filed lawsuits, but the pattern represents systematic government surveillance and intimidation of First Amendment-protected speech. Google and Meta transparency reports show record numbers of administrative subpoenas during Trump's second term.
The ACLU calls it 'part of a broader strategy to intimidate people who document immigration activity or criticize government actions. "