DHS uses obscure customs law to secretly spy on journalists, unions, and nonprofits

DHS is using obscure law to snoop on journalists, non-profits, unions

The Trump administration has been using an obscure customs provision, 19 USC 1509, to obtain private records of journalists, nonprofits, and unions without judicial oversight. In one case, the DHS obtained six months of phone records for Minneapolis journalist Georgia Fort, including over 10,000 calls and texts, without notifying her. The agency also served Google with a summons for YouTube account information on Fort, Don Lemon, and others, bypassing a judge who had previously rejected a warrant request. Experts call the tactic an outrageous abuse of power, while the administration argues it has broad investigative authority under the statute.