DHS Used Pro-Israel Site Canary Mission to Target Activists for Deportation, Court Reveals

In a rare federal trial, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has admitted to using the anonymous pro-Israel website, Canary Mission, as a primary source for identifying pro-Palestinian activists for potential deportation. During the third day of proceedings in Boston, Peter Hatch, a senior DHS investigations official, testified that most of the names of student protesters flagged for analysis by the agency originated from Canary Mission’s detailed database.

The trial, which is challenging the Trump administration’s past efforts to deport these activists, saw U.S. District Judge William Young question Hatch extensively. Hatch, assistant director of the Homeland Security Investigations intelligence office, confirmed that while other sources contributed, “many of the names, or even most of the names, came from that website.” He also revealed that a specialized “tiger team” of analysts was assembled to assess student protesters for national security threats, with a directive to specifically examine the Canary Mission database.

Canary Mission, which maintains a public database of individuals it claims have shared anti-Israel and antisemitic viewpoints, denied any direct collaboration with DHS, stating, “We have had no contact with this administration or the previous administration.” The site’s profiles include personal and professional details, often labeling pro-Palestinian activities as “anti-Israel” or “pro-Hamas,” and has faced accusations of doxxing and harassment. The Middle East Studies Association of North America highlighted a video from Canary Mission encouraging reporting activists to threaten their job prospects, urging viewers, “It is your duty to ensure that today’s radicals are not tomorrow’s employees.”

Despite its use by DHS, Hatch clarified that Canary Mission is not a U.S. government entity and is not considered an “authoritative source.” The plaintiffs in the case, including Harvard faculty, the Middle East Studies Association, and other scholar groups, argue that these deportation efforts violated First Amendment rights. The trial is expected to continue next week, following previous arrests of students like Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk, who were later released after judges ruled their detentions infringed on free speech.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.