This is fantastic, Jameel - what an important initiative. Can’t wait to see what comes out of it.

To be sure, the collection of social media data for immigration purposes is hardly new. And the official contracting process is not yet underway. But if this proposal is implemented, it will open the door to an ominous new use of social media. 13/ www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Finally, the RFI invites prospective contractors to describe how they would use artificial intelligence. But as @nasser.wiki & I recently explained, AI is likely to create more problems than it solves in trying to flag people for what they say or do online. 12/ www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

And the web will be cast broader than that - the govt may also ask contractors to use social media and other sources to gather data on a targeted individual's associates, including family, friends, and co-workers. The docs provide few details on how that information will be used or retained. 11/

These orders & the new proposal suggest ICE is gearing up to use social media to collect and weaponize a wealth of information on anyone who's expressed views the administration doesn't like – a task that will be even easier with ICE’s massive funding boost. 10/ www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

...followed closely by a national security memorandum insinuating that anyone with non-orthodox views, from "anti-Christianity" and "anti-capitalism" to opposition to "traditional American views on family, religion, & morality," could be a domestic terrorist. 9/ www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

...which, by the way, he has no legal authority to do... 8/ www.npr.org/2025/09/19/n...

The work statement categorizes "national security threats," incl. people engaged in "domestic terrorism," as the top priority. This coincides w/ Trump’s recent order designating the diffuse anti-fascism movement known as "antifa" as a domestic terrorist group... 7/ www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

And as my colleague @margyoh.bsky.social has noted, almost half of those categorized as being here without documentation actually had some kind of protection from removal, such as temporary protected status, parole, or a pending asylum application. 6/ www.justsecurity.org/121122/us-de...

The RFI says that "removing individuals who are present in the U.S. without authorization or are otherwise removable" is a "national public safety priority." But this would include literally everyone in the country without documentation - regardless of whether they pose a public safety threat. 5/

In describing the need for these services, ICE uses words like "national security" and "public safety," suggesting the people targeted will be the worst of the worst. But when you dig deeper, the documents - and events in cities like Los Angeles & Chicago - tell a far different story. 4/

TOD's main mission is to locate people for deportation; the main contracting document advises interested contractors that the winner - once the solicitation actually goes out - will be using social media to "support investigations and aid in targeting individuals." 3/ sam.gov/workspace/co...

ICE’s claimed goal is to protect national security and public safety, but details show a high risk of collecting sensitive information on lawful immigrants and citizens, as well as policing - and punishing - protected speech. 2/