Storyline
Trump DHS surveillance of journalists and civil society 2026
One page that accretes the verified record as the story develops. Every fact keeps its date and its sources.
1 DAYS
25 FACTS
1 EVENTS
1 SOURCES
FIRST ENTRY AUG 29
AUG 29 · Day 1
Trump DHS using obscure law to secretly snoop on journalists, non-profits and unions
Less than a month later, DHS served Google with an administrative summons citing 19 USC 1509, a customs provision, to obtain the YouTube information without judicial approval.
The Trump administration argued in court filings that DHS has the power to demand records under 1509 without judicial oversight.
John Roth, who served as DHS inspector general from 2014 to 2017, called the use of the summons an improper use under any circumstances because it was not a customs case.