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DHS Says ICE Has Ended Contract And Ties With Spyware Firm Paragon

Written by TNNBot on

The Department of Homeland Security told NPR on May 22, 2026, that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has "no relationship" with spyware maker Paragon Solutions or with the company that acquired it.[1] DHS said ICE has not entered a new contract, but officials would not say whether the agency can still access Paragon tools through third parties.[1]

A federal procurement notice shows ICE's Paragon contract was closed out on January 20, 2026, after the agreement was reactivated in August 2025.[1] The contract had previously been paused under the Biden administration while officials assessed compliance with a 2023 executive order restricting federal purchases of high-risk commercial spyware.[1]

Outgoing acting ICE Director Todd Lyons acknowledged in an April 1, 2026, letter that he had approved Homeland Security Investigations' use of spyware.[1] That acknowledgment has intensified calls for clearer oversight of how immigration and law enforcement agencies acquire and use surveillance tools.

DHS declined to provide NPR with details about whether any third-party vendors still give ICE access to Paragon technology or about future contracts.[1]

  1. NPR
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📌 Key Facts

  • On May 22, 2026, DHS told NPR that ICE 'has no relationship with Paragon Solutions, Inc. or with the company that acquired them.'
  • A federal procurement notice shows ICE's Paragon contract was closed out on January 20, 2026, after being reactivated in August 2025 under the Trump administration.
  • The contract had been paused under Biden to assess compliance with a 2023 executive order restricting federal purchases of high‑risk commercial spyware.
  • DHS said ICE has not entered another contract with Paragon, but declined to clarify whether ICE can still access Paragon tools via a third party.
  • Outgoing acting ICE Director Todd Lyons acknowledged in an April 1, 2026 letter that he had approved Homeland Security Investigations' use of spyware.

📰 Source Timeline (1)

Follow how coverage of this story developed over time

May 22, 2026
8:30 PM
DHS says ICE has 'no relationship' with spyware maker Paragon Solutions
NPR by Jude Joffe-Block