Google provided U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with personal data tied to the Google account of Amandla Thomas-Johnson, a British student and journalist, in response to an administrative subpoena that was not approved by a judge, according to a report by The Intercept. The data included usernames, physical addresses, and an itemized list of Google services associated with the account, The Intercept reported.
The report said the disclosure followed Thomas-Johnson’s brief attendance at a pro-Palestinian protest in 2024 while he was studying at Cornell University in New York. The subpoena reportedly included a gag order and did not state a specific justification for seeking the student’s data. Thomas-Johnson previously said the demand for his data arrived within two hours of Cornell informing him that the U.S. government had revoked his student visa.
What Data Was Disclosed
The Intercept reported that Google also turned over IP addresses, phone numbers, subscriber numbers and identities, and credit card and bank account numbers linked to Thomas-Johnson’s account. The request did not include the contents of emails, search queries, or location data, which administrative subpoenas cannot compel, according to the report.
How Administrative Subpoenas Work
Administrative subpoenas are issued directly by federal agencies without a judge’s involvement. They can seek metadata and identifying details, such as email addresses and other account-linked information, and are often used to identify the person behind an online account, according to the report. Unlike court orders, companies are not required to comply with administrative subpoenas.
The Intercept described the case as part of a broader pattern of the U.S. government using administrative subpoenas to seek data related to people who have criticized or protested President Donald Trump and his policies. The report referenced other instances, including anonymous Instagram accounts that share information about ICE activity and raids.
EFF Urges Companies To Stop Complying Without Court Review
Last week, the Electronic Frontier Foundation sent a letter to Amazon, Apple, Discord, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Reddit urging the companies to stop providing user data to the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, in response to administrative subpoenas. The letter said the group is concerned companies are not challenging unlawful surveillance or defending user privacy and speech.
The letter called on companies to require DHS to seek court confirmation that its demands are lawful before any user information is disclosed. It also urged companies to notify users with enough time for them to challenge subpoenas on their own.
Thomas-Johnson’s Response
Thomas-Johnson told The Intercept that the situation requires thinking carefully about what resistance looks like when government agencies and major technology companies can track individuals and hold extensive information about them.
Featured image credits: Flickr
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