ICE confirms use of Paragon spyware in drug investigations

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that it purchased and deployed spyware developed by Paragon Solutions, a U.S.-Israeli spyware maker, for use in drug trafficking cases. The disclosure reveals the active status of a relationship that began in 2024 when ICE first signed a contract with Paragon Solutions. That initial agreement was promptly suspended by the Biden administration to evaluate whether it complied with federal rules restricting U.S. agencies from using spyware that could target Americans abroad or violate human rights. However, ICE lifted the block and reactivated the contract in September 2025, though it remained unclear until now whether the agency had actually deployed the technology.

The disclosure, first reported by Bloomberg, came in a letter written by Lyons to three congresspeople. In the letter, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons defended the deployment of the technology by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which serves as ICE’s criminal investigative unit. Lyons authorized HSI to utilize technological tools to counter the exploitation of encrypted communication platforms by foreign terrorist organizations. Addressing potential civil liberties concerns, Lyons asserted that the agency’s use of the spyware would meet constitutional requirements. He further certified that HSI’s operational use of the tool does not present significant security or counterintelligence risks, nor does it pose significant risks of improper use by foreign governments or individuals.

The agency’s deployment of the software has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers. Democrat Representative Summer Lee, one of the members of Congress who pressed ICE for information, criticized the decision to deploy invasive spyware technology inside the United States. Lee argued that the Department of Homeland Security is failing to address critical civil liberties issues. “instead of answering the serious constitutional and civil rights concerns that we raised, DHS is asking the public to accept vague assurances and fear-based justifications,” said Lee, who serves as a Democrat Representative. She added that vulnerable populations, including immigrants, Black and brown communities, journalists, and organizers, deserve more than secrecy and deflection from an agency with a long record of overreach and abuse.

The domestic deployment follows international scrutiny of Paragon Solutions. The spyware maker was previously ensnared in a scandal in Italy, where its Graphite spyware was revealed to have targeted journalists and pro-immigration activists. In response to those revelations, Paragon cut off Italy’s intelligence agencies from using its spyware tools.

Why it matters

The normalization of commercial spyware within U.S. federal agencies for domestic investigations raises significant questions about the balance between law enforcement capabilities and constitutional civil rights protections.