The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) retained Chicago Police Department records for months, violating domestic espionage rules by failing to delete data on residents accused of gang ties. The data, collected to test how local intelligence could feed an FBI watchlist, remained on a federal server for over a year despite a deletion order. Internal memos show the project began as a limited data-sharing experiment but unraveled due to mismanagement and oversight failures. The breach exposed how federal intelligence officers can bypass local sanctuary laws, enabling data sharing with immigration enforcement. This incident highlights broader issues with DHS’s data handling and its push to merge sensitive information across government systems.
Key facts
- DHS retained Chicago Police Department records for over seven months, violating domestic espionage rules.
- The data was collected to test how local gang intelligence could feed an FBI watchlist and identify undocumented individuals.
- Internal memos show the project began as a limited data-sharing experiment but collapsed due to mismanagement and oversight failures.
- The breach exposed how federal intelligence officers can bypass local sanctuary laws, enabling data sharing with immigration enforcement.
- DHS’s push to merge sensitive data across government systems has raised concerns about privacy and potential misuse.
