ICE Protesters Turn to Hacktivism: Data Leaks and DIY Surveillance

Protesters fighting ICE’s mass deportation operations are now using data leaks and surveillance tools they built themselves.

why it matters: this new wave of U.S.hacktivism—where people hack to make a political point, not for money—shows a smarter, more organized use of digital tools.

Driving the news: Last week, someone leaked information on about 4,500 ICE and Border Patrol employees,including 2,000 agents who work directly with the public,to a site called ICE List.

• This looks like the biggest data breach of Department of homeland Security staff ever. It happened after the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis.
• “It shows people aren’t happy with the U.S. government,” said Dominick Skinner, who runs ICE List, to the Daily Beast.
• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and others have criticized the “doxing” of agents and said they’ll prosecute those responsible.

The big picture: We’ve seen this kind of hacktivism more frequently enough in other countries, especially during conflicts.

• Think about hackers choosing sides in the war in Gaza, or Ukraine getting local hackers involved when Russia invaded.

The intrigue: It’s not just about leaks. Protesters are also building their own tools to track ICE activity. They’re using publicly available data—like flight trackers and court records—to monitor deportations. It’s a way to shine a light on what ICE is doing and hold them accountable. This isn’t random; it’s a deliberate effort to disrupt ICE’s operations and support those facing deportation. It’s getting more complex, and it’s likely to continue.