The acting head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has confirmed that the agency purchased and used spyware developed by Paragon Solutions in drug trafficking investigations, according to a letter sent to lawmakers and reviewed by TechCrunch.
Letter Details Spyware Use By Investigative Unit
Acting Director Todd Lyons wrote to three members of Congress that he approved the use of “cutting-edge technological tools” by Homeland Security Investigations, the agency’s criminal investigative arm. He said the tools were intended to counter what he described as foreign terrorist organizations exploiting encrypted communication platforms.
Law enforcement agencies have often cited limited access to encrypted communications as a reason to deploy spyware, which can extract data directly from a person’s device. Critics and human rights advocates have raised concerns about the use of such tools, pointing to cases where journalists, politicians, and civil society members have been targeted through commercial spyware.
Assurances On Legal Compliance And Risk Assessment
In the letter, Lyons said the use of spyware would comply with constitutional requirements. He also stated that he had certified the tool’s operational use did not pose significant security or counterintelligence risks, nor significant risks of misuse by foreign governments or individuals. Bloomberg first reported the existence of the letter.
Contract Suspension And Reactivation Timeline
In 2024, ICE signed a contract with Paragon Solutions. The Biden administration suspended the deal shortly after to review compliance with an executive order that restricts federal agencies from using spyware that could target Americans abroad or violate human rights.
The agency lifted the suspension in September 2025 and reactivated the contract. Prior to the letter, it had not been confirmed whether ICE had begun using Paragon’s spyware.
Paragon Linked To Italy Spyware Scandal
Paragon Solutions has been involved in a separate case in Italy, where journalists and pro-immigration activists were reportedly targeted using its Graphite spyware. Following those reports, the company cut off access to its tools for Italian intelligence agencies.
Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Domestic Use
Summer Lee, one of the lawmakers who requested information from ICE, said the agency is moving forward with the use of spyware within the United States. She stated that the agency had not addressed constitutional and civil rights concerns raised by lawmakers and instead provided what she described as vague assurances.
Lee added that groups including immigrants, Black and brown communities, journalists, and organizers face increased risk, and said those affected require greater transparency from the agency.
Featured image credits: PICRYL
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.