Immigration officials utilized obscure online blacklists to target Palestinian pro-activists for scrutiny.
Peter Hatch, who is the assistant director of intelligence at Homeland Security Survey (HSI), revealed that a list of names to investigate was provided to him in March, with “most” of these names sourced from a pro-Israel site known as Canary Mission, which operates anonymously.
During his testimony, Hatch mentioned that the list contains over 5,000 names, but ultimately, only about 100 to 200 reports were compiled about the individuals identified. Analysts engaged in various roles, such as counter-terrorism and cybercrime, were reassigned to the so-called “Tiger Team” to prepare reports relating to protesters for better management of their workload.
“There wasn’t a set deadline, but we understood the urgency of the matter,” Hatch stated.
This testimony occurred on the third day of the trial regarding the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists on college campuses. This case marks a significant trial in President Trump’s second term, focusing on policies leading to arrests and attempts to deport foreign-born students and faculty.
Hatch noted that the information from Canary Mission isn’t deemed a legitimate source, and the government hasn’t engaged with those behind the website.
The site faces accusations of DOXXing individuals protesting against the Israeli conflict with the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, but its stated purpose is to identify people and organizations that purportedly “increase hatred toward the US, Israeli, and Jewish communities on university campuses and elsewhere in North America.”
Although the Canary Mission list played a crucial role in identifying “most” individuals for investigation, Hatch clarified that the team also pursued leads from “many different sources,” including a similar anonymous group that supports Israel, called Better.
A report produced by the Tiger Team is set to be submitted to the State Department to assess potential further actions.
US District Judge William Young is overseeing the trials, deliberating on the existence and legality of the administration’s “ideological deportation policy.” The trial is anticipated to conclude next week.
