Homeland Security Used Doxxing Site to Track Student Protesters

A senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official testified that the federal government compiled intelligence reports on over 100 student protesters using names sourced from the controversial website Canary Mission. Peter J. Hatch, who oversees DHS's Office of Intelligence, stated in federal court that a team of analysts was formed in March to investigate potential criminal or immigration violations by students, some of whom were noncitizens engaged in pro-Palestine advocacy. "The most conclusive list" came from Canary Mission, which publishes personal information about students it claims promote hatred of Israel, the U.S., and Jews.

Hatch's testimony came during a trial over a lawsuit filed by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), including its Harvard chapter. The group accuses the Trump administration of violating the First Amendment by targeting noncitizen students and faculty for deportation based on political views. Hatch confirmed that five noncitizen students, such as Columbia University's Mahmhoud Khalil, were subjects of the reports and were later arrested or threatened with deportation.

According to Hatch, his office compiled profiles on students' employment, travel, criminal records, and any perceived support for terrorist groups, which could include phrases like "Free Palestine" or "Hamas is right," depending on context. Hatch emphasized his office does not determine guilt but passes reports to Homeland Security Investigations' national security division and then to the State Department for action. He also acknowledged, "I've never been tasked with producing reports on foreign students" in over five years of service.

Faculty witnesses testified that the surveillance and arrests created a chilling effect. Harvard professor Bernhard Nickel said he withdrew from protests and political expression due to fear, adding, "I just don't feel that way about the country in quite the same way. It's depressing and it's destabilizing."

Federal Judge William G. Young ruled that redacted versions of the reports must be shared with plaintiffs' attorneys but left the door open for government objections. The trial, involving faculty from Harvard, NYU, Rutgers, and the Middle East Studies Association, continues to examine whether DHS targeted students based on protected political speech rather than actual criminal behavior.

Link: Democracy Now