US Immigration Agency Reactivates Paragon Spyware Contract

On August 30, the US’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reactivated a dormant contract with Israeli spyware distributor Paragon. This comes as ICE ramps up surveillance and mass deportations, drawing controversy in the US and abroad.

Spyware is a type of malware that allows a third party to access the contents and activity of a person’s device without their knowledge or consent. Paragon presents itself as an “ethical” spyware provider, claiming to offer “ethically based tools, teams, and insights.” Paragon has signed contracts with governments worldwide, with the alleged purpose of fighting terrorism and organized crime.

However, the spyware has a history of being used against private citizens, journalists, activists, and political dissidents. Multiple independent watchdogs have reported the use or suspected use of Paragon-built spyware by the governments of countries like Canada, Australia, Denmark, Mexico, and more.

Recently, the research group Citizen Lab confirmed the use of Paragon spyware on Italian journalists and activists by the Italian government, with more targets suspected throughout Europe.

ICE originally signed a $2 million USD contract with Paragon in late September 2024, but the contract was promptly placed under a “stop work order” by the Biden administration. The contract was frozen as the government investigated whether it complied with an executive order restricting the use of commercial spyware by the US government.

The US government quietly lifted the stop-work order nearly a year later under the Trump administration, as originally reported by independent journalist Jack Poulson.

“This contract is for a fully configured proprietary solution, including license, hardware, warranty, maintenance, and training. This modification is to lift the stop work order,” reads an August 30 update on a federal database of government contracts.

So far, Paragon has declined to comment on the reactivation of the contract by the US government.

The recent increase in ICE operations has led to nationwide protests, with civil rights groups alleging hundreds of cases of human rights violations by the agency.