Google and Meta have pushed back against some U.S. immigration authorities’ demands for user information, as the government increasingly turns to ICE subpoenas and other legal orders.
People familiar with the matter and legal filings described the cases. The disputes include demands for information about YouTube channels and anonymous social media accounts that post about immigration enforcement.
DHS has increasingly worked with the Justice Department to obtain user information through grand jury subpoenas, people familiar with the matter said. These subpoenas carry higher penalties for noncompliance. Companies have also received administrative subpoenas from ICE.
ICE requests reached YouTube channels and anonymous accounts
ICE has sought information about certain YouTube channels and anonymous accounts that post about immigration enforcement, according to legal filings. The agency has also sought personal information from social-media companies about users critical of immigration actions. People close to the companies said ICE has sought information about users on X, Reddit and TikTok who were critical of immigration actions.
ICE officials issue administrative subpoenas directly, without prior judicial review. That differs from a grand jury subpoena, which federal authorities have increasingly used with the Justice Department to compel information from technology companies.
Google challenged a subpoena in North Carolina court
The company also opposed a separate subpoena in a North Carolina court. A spokesperson said its process protects users’ privacy while meeting legal obligations, and that the company pushes back against requests it considers overbroad. The dispute reached court.
One Instagram user challenged an identity demand
Meta questioned a DHS request for an Instagram user’s identity, then notified the user it planned to comply. The user, through legal representation, filed a motion to quash. DHS withdrew the request. DHS also asked Google for the identity of a Pennsylvania retiree who had emailed a federal prosecutor about an immigration case. DHS had tracked the man down on its own, without help from Google user data, and withdrew its request after he obtained legal representation and challenged it in court.
The two cases involved different responses: in the Instagram case, the user filed a motion to quash, and DHS withdrew its request.
Executives weigh oversight against administration pressure
People familiar with corporate discussions said executives were weighing potential Democratic-led congressional scrutiny alongside concerns from employees and users, while seeking to manage relations with the administration. Google executives also feared that refusing demands could prompt the administration to seek more user data. The company faces federal antitrust cases as well.
Google logged about 28,600 U.S. government subpoenas between January and June 2025, and a similar number in the second half of that year. The figures cover subpoenas from the U.S. government overall, not ICE alone. Meta reported handing over at least some data in 88.8% of U.S. government requests received between July and December of last year.
Rep. Shri Thanedar, who co-launched a probe into technology companies’ compliance, said firms should account for their decisions under oath. He put it plainly:
“They need to be prepared to say, under oath, why they did what they did.”
An ICE spokesperson said the agency’s operations are “conducted in accordance with applicable law and policy.” The scrutiny is building ahead of the midterms.
Companies update user-notification policies
Tech companies including TikTok have updated user notification policies to tell customers more about when their information is given to law enforcement, as several Democratic lawmakers tee up investigations into how user information is shared.
