ICE Releases RFI for User Tracking Tools

https://www.wired.com/story/ice-asks-companies-about-ad-tech-and-big-data-tools/

Comments

wnevetsJan 25, 2026, 12:31 AM
> I can’t afford healthcare or electricity, and ICE just abducted my neighbor. But at least I no longer have to see plaques that mention slavery when I visit national landmarks.
collinmcnultyJan 25, 2026, 12:15 AM
As a child, evil was giant walking nuclear robots and monologuing villains and the temptation of otherworldly power, but as an adult, this is evil’s most common form. Come sell out democracy and humanity for a few bucks.
colechristensenJan 25, 2026, 12:27 AM
Turns out evil is childhood neglect on a below average person with enormous unearned resources. An ego easy to mold unleashed on us by people who wanted to push him to ruin us.

And his followers near and far egging him on. A lightning rod for fear, stupidity, and a urge to fix a sense of inadequacy.

october8140Jan 25, 2026, 12:39 AM
I would encourage anyone working for companies that aid ICE to stop work and do everything you can as an employee. There is a real opportunity to do something. “I only worked for the company that provided cloud services” will be the new “I was just following orders.”

Is there a complete list? Palantir, Amazon, Salesforce, Microsoft.

hntechbropseudJan 25, 2026, 12:38 AM
Second day in a row seeing a post like, it will be censored in 3 2 1 ...

Can’t allow anything to get in the way of those yc startups seeking ICE contracts. The tech-bro elite need to make their $$$ assisting in hunting down modern day Anne Franks.

netsharcJan 25, 2026, 12:51 AM
It's fascinating to learn how IBM, Hugo Boss, or BMW could've been involved with the Nazis, by watching the present day: Just look at how Zuck, Bezos, Google's CEO were at the front row of the Trump inauguration and surrendered before even a fight, because hey, "I need to deliver value to my stockholders!", or in the case of Zuck I think it's more "Gotta make sure I stay in the 3-commas-club!".

Meanwhile there's a flagged to death comment about policing the border and illegal immigrants. Oh yeah, the 2 year old "illegal immigrant", he's out to take your job!

slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 12:43 AM
Well it’s weird because there are a 195 counties on the planet and they’re all, to one degree or another, negatively effected by illegal immigration because all countries require legal citizenship.
OKRainbowKidJan 25, 2026, 1:04 AM
Okay? What point are you trying to make?
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 1:07 AM
I’m not making a point, a made an observation.
throwawayqqq11Jan 25, 2026, 2:36 AM
No, you didnt. You basically said illigal immigration is bad because its illegal. You didnt include positive effects, like economic contribution. That positive conclusion about immigration is scientific consensus btw. Its easy to find if you dare to observe it.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 4:00 AM
I’m liberal so I believe in governmental regulation which includes legal immigration and labor rights. I believe illegal immigrants shouldn’t be exploited by private businesses and citizens should be paid a living wage.
throwawayqqq11Jan 25, 2026, 10:08 AM
Add a "well integrated illegal immigrants should have a path to citizenship" and you would contradict your first comment about illegal immigrants being harmful. What legallity is, is not written is stone.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 7:03 PM
If you’re a conservative capitalist that would sound good but I’m liberal. My understanding of government and liberalism is consistent with that of people like Bernie Sanders and Noam Chomsky. What you’re suggesting, by their standards, is a paradox.
Starman_JonesJan 26, 2026, 5:40 AM
Is either Noam Chomsky or Bernie Sanders a liberal, though? It sounds like you're very confused about what you believe - almost like a conservative's straw man idea of a liberal.
slowhadokenJan 26, 2026, 6:09 AM
Noam Chomsky is far left and Bernie Sanders is also more liberal than a Democrat. Here is Sanders saying the same thing I did https://youtube.com/watch?v=vf-k6qOfXz0&pp=2AYH

I’m confused, what do you think a liberal is?

Starman_JonesJan 26, 2026, 6:14 AM
Liberals are people who believe in liberalism. This necessarily precludes them from being on the far left (and has for well over a century).
slowhadokenJan 26, 2026, 6:48 AM
In the US “liberal” is often used as a short hand for “left wing”, Isaiah Berlin calls it ‘negative liberty’. Noam Chomsky describes himself as a ‘libertarian socialist’ and Bernie Sanders describes himself as a ‘democratic socialist’, both of these political stances are left wing, some would says “far left”.
goatloverJan 25, 2026, 3:48 AM
Do you think that observation gives immigration enforcement agencies a right to execute citizens who are exercising their rights, and then completely lie about it?
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 4:10 AM
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent is authorized to use deadly force by the Department of Homeland Security only when an officer has a reasonable belief that the subject poses an imminent threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others.
nodraJan 25, 2026, 8:38 PM
Not surprised this got flagged but this is an important time to start putting this stuff out here. Thanks eoskx for trying.
eoskxJan 25, 2026, 1:13 AM
This has now been flagged twice today when it has a legitimate tech/privacy angle. Unbelievable.
prophesiJan 26, 2026, 8:05 AM
Let the flagging process be automated on what should be removed and wipe your hands of any wrong doing. I do understand that anything ICE-related at this current time will inevitably lead to heated political discussions that run counter to the HN ethos but it is unfortunate. It seems we can continue upvoting older EFF/Wired posts on ICE tech to keep the situation on the front page, though. Also seems increasingly bipartisan in the US that Alex Pretti's execution was not justified.
lc9erJan 25, 2026, 1:57 AM
I am regularly reminded that this site is filled not just with tech enthusiasts, but bootlickers that would do the dirty work of Zuck, Musk, and the current administration, all for a pat on the head and a few crumbs off the fascist plate.
mellosoulsJan 25, 2026, 6:26 PM
Tbf it happens both ways (both are regrettable). If somebody posts a link that crosses political ground and might also be interpreted as favourable to Musk or similar, its a likely candidate for flagging by the leftists on here.
deadbabeJan 25, 2026, 12:03 AM
These tools will just be used to gather evidence for character assasination to justify future killings.
steve-atx-7600Jan 25, 2026, 12:32 AM
I don’t think so. I think the administration will just keep declaring that X is a terrorist that obviously brandished weapons/threated ICE and it will be parroted by Fox News. Done. And who will stop them? No one. Republican office holders’ reelection is more important.
pjc50Jan 25, 2026, 12:36 AM
Yes, and: the propaganda machine will benefit from being able to automatically dig up the most "lib"-coded posts to use in their assertions that they were right to kill that person.

I wonder if this will stay up on hn; the site is very against mass surveillance but anything involving ICE gets flag killed.

eoskxJan 25, 2026, 12:04 AM
Yep, I could totally see that at this point.
lifetimerubyistJan 25, 2026, 12:37 AM
Justice for Alex Pretti.

Wake the fuck up America.

rifficJan 25, 2026, 1:35 AM
resist this.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 12:40 AM
Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t there 195 countries on the planet that all have legal and illegal immigrants?

Also please keep in mind I’m a life long liberal that voted for Ralph Nader and Bernie Sanders.

defrostJan 25, 2026, 12:47 AM
Not so many with the masked unidentified death squads though, at least not in the G20.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 1:17 AM
People want to know the identity of law enforcement to dox them. Police, federal agents, lawyers, and judges can be pressured by criminals and organized crime. That’s a thing, you know that right?
fitblipperJan 25, 2026, 1:33 AM
That is far down the list of reasons someone might want to know who is performing actions against them with the backing of the federal government. Much higher on the list would be accountability if they do something wrong or to reference them in any follow up legal or administrative interactions they might have in the giant immigration system.

How many judges hide their identity?

slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 1:52 AM
Doxxing is the first and most obvious reason. Federal agents aren’t directly subject to the public, their respective agencies and the President hold them accountable.
defrostJan 25, 2026, 2:00 AM
The current POTUS is on record stating point blank he will not hold ICE and DHS agents accountable.

Currently theer is no effective Federal investigation into the earlier murder by ICE in MN, the DOJ, FBI, etc. have been directed to look to the motivations of the victim rather than the illegal traffic stop and boxing in by agents.

UncleMeatJan 25, 2026, 2:55 PM
Bivens, in principle, provides a direct mechanism to sue federal agents who violate your rights.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 7:20 PM
That’s cool but Bivens doesn’t generally apply to ICE and it’s nearly impossible to create a case against them with that legal precedent.
goatloverJan 25, 2026, 3:55 AM
The vice president and Homeland Security Advisor claimed they had absolute immunity, and the Feds refuse to investigate shootings. So there is no accountability.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 4:14 AM
* * *
anigbrowlJan 25, 2026, 8:32 AM
The president of the US is a convicted criminal - 34 felony counts, no less. He has made or threatened war on several countries, and threatens it regularly against US citizens. Let's get real about who's doing the threatening here.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 7:13 PM
non sequitur
defrostJan 25, 2026, 1:59 AM
I'm well aware that defending the existence of masked unidentified death squads is a thing in some North American countries, yes.

It is also common in some South American countries, eg: Venezuela.

https://snyder.substack.com/p/maduro-in-minneapolis

lc9erJan 25, 2026, 1:52 AM
Then don’t be a cop, if you’re too scared. Law enforcement barely has any accountability as it is. Legit LEO do not hide their identity because they are accountable to the population they serve.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 7:12 PM
You’re advocating for coercion.
lc9erJan 25, 2026, 9:52 PM
No. It’s accountability. There’s a reason real LEO have to identify themselves. You seem to be ok with having a secret police.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 11:41 PM
hyperbole
scarecrowbobJan 25, 2026, 2:44 AM
I mean, yeah, that's how volks have always justified having secret police. That's probably literally the only justification for secret police.

Congrats on being in favor of secret police, I guess....

slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 8:13 PM
hyperbole
goatloverJan 25, 2026, 3:52 AM
And yet all the other LE, agents, lawyers and judges don't wear masks.
slowhadokenJan 25, 2026, 4:17 AM
A state and federal judge’s personal information is privileged to protect them from reprisals. Some of the most vulnerable people in the legal system are witnesses, hence witness protection programs which can involve plastic surgery.
Refreeze5224Jan 25, 2026, 12:13 AM
Maybe this will finally wake up all the people working for, building, and and enabling ad-tech and surveillance capitalism. Probably not, but we can hope. You're not just an "engineer" for Facebook or Google at this point. You are enabling fascism.
pastageJan 25, 2026, 12:44 AM
Fascism is a slippery slope, maybe a political maelstorm everyone can be made to love it. The "first they came" poem is also a reminder that this are easier to see in hindsight. I think the strange turn the US took on human rights after 9/11, the media started to not only paint other groups as bad guys that you should overcome with force. The idea that any means necessary was allowed for a small win by torture, hacking or control. This idea that your power can be used against anyone just with a small connection to one bad person

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_They_Came

NoaidiJan 25, 2026, 12:10 AM
So just curious when all your tech people are going to stage a worker strike against this fascist bullshit? What do you just wanna get a gold bar like Tim Cook did?
detterlJan 25, 2026, 12:21 AM
[flagged]
duxupJan 25, 2026, 3:53 AM
We would not be talking about this if that’s all there is to talk about.
dawnerdJan 25, 2026, 12:58 AM
It must be nice to live in such a delusional bubble that you’re so clueless to what’s going on.
goatloverJan 25, 2026, 4:00 AM
Shooting US citizens who are exercising their Constitutional rights to protest and observe is fascist. So is all the beatings, breaking down doors and pulling people out of cars, not to mention detaining citizens without providing access to an attorney.

Also, I don't see a good reason to deport people already living here unless they've engaged in criminal activity. Crossing the border illegally is a misdemeanor. You can enforce the border without being cruel to people already living here, working hard and raising families.

detterlJan 25, 2026, 4:07 AM
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lifetimerubyistJan 25, 2026, 1:24 AM
What about 6 federal “agents” beating up and summarily executing someone who is just protesting them on a public street? Is that fascism?
detterlJan 25, 2026, 1:30 AM
[flagged]
nickthegreekJan 25, 2026, 1:37 AM
It happened today. Literally go to ANY news site.
detterlJan 25, 2026, 1:47 AM
[flagged]
fmsdkfmsnJan 25, 2026, 2:41 AM
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