ICE Insists It Doesn't Track Protesters, Just People Who "Might Do Crimes"
Classic semantic gymnastics: ICE wants everyone to know they absolutely do not have a "protester database." They just have a database for "potentially unlawful activity." Which includes protesting.
We love a good government vocabulary lesson. A newly surfaced letter to Congress from the recently departed head of ICE sheds some hilarious, if slightly terrifying, light on how the agency monitors Americans.
For years, activists have been sounding the alarm, accusing the agency of keeping a secret watchlist of protesters. ICE has repeatedly swiped left on that rumor. And technically, they aren't lying.
But here is the catch. The agency admits it actively collects data on anyone suspected of "potentially unlawful activity." And when asked if "potentially unlawful" includes, say, peaceful demonstrations that might get a little rowdy, the answer was a resounding yes.
It is comforting to know that bureaucratic wordplay is the only thing standing between citizens and a federal surveillance state.
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