# Google Shares Student Reporter's Private Data with ICE
In a shocking breach of privacy, Google has handed over extensive personal and financial details of a British student journalist to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a subpoena, raising alarms over Big Tech's cooperation with government surveillance. Amandla Thomas-Johnson, a Cornell University student who attended a pro-Palestinian protest in 2024, had his usernames, addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, bank details, and credit card information disclosed without judicial approval, fueling debates on data privacy and civil liberties.[1]
Details of the Data Handover to ICE
Google complied with an ICE subpoena targeting Amandla Thomas-Johnson, providing a comprehensive dossier that included physical addresses, an itemized list of associated Google services, subscriber identities, and sensitive financial data like credit card and bank account numbers.[1] The request came swiftly after Cornell University notified Thomas-Johnson that his student visa had been revoked by the U.S. government, arriving within two hours, though the subpoena lacked a specific justification or judge's approval and reportedly included a gag order.[1] This incident highlights vulnerabilities in how tech giants handle government data requests, especially for non-citizens involved in political activism such as pro-Palestinian protests.[1]
Thomas-Johnson, a journalist covering the event briefly, expressed profound concerns, stating that society must "think very hard about what resistance looks like" in an era where governments and Big Tech possess vast tracking capabilities that could lead to imprisonment or personal ruin.[1] Advocacy groups have criticized such disclosures, urging companies to demand court confirmation before releasing user data and to notify affected individuals promptly.[1]
Google Employee Backlash and Calls to End ICE Ties
Amid the controversy, nearly 1,000 Google employees signed an open letter demanding the company sever ties with ICE and other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies like Customs and Border Protection (CBP).[2] The petition accuses Google's cloud technology of powering surveillance systems, including Palantir's ImmigrationOS used by ICE to track immigrants, and claims generative AI aids DHS operations for "workforce enablement" and efficiency.[2] Employees further alleged that Google services like the Play Store blocked anti-ICE tracking apps while YouTube aired ICE recruitment ads promoting "self-deportation."[2]
Titled "Googlers Demand: Worker Safety & ICE Contract Transparency," the letter calls for full disclosure of all contracts and an ethical divestment from these partnerships, with signatories describing themselves as "horrified" by the implications for violence and repression.[2] Google has not yet responded publicly to the employee petition, which continues to seek more signatures before delivery to leadership.[2]
Broader Implications for Privacy and Surveillance
This case underscores escalating tensions between tech companies and immigration enforcement, paralleling reports of driver-surveillance firms like Flock sharing license plate data with ICE despite local restrictions.[3] Critics, including the ACLU, warn that such practices enable widespread data sharing across 7,000 agencies, turning everyday movements into fodder for federal investigations without adequate oversight.[3] The incident with Thomas-Johnson amplifies fears that subpoenas without judicial review could chill free speech, particularly for international students and journalists engaging in protests.[1]
As employee dissent grows, it reflects a pattern of internal pushback against government contracts, potentially pressuring Google to reform its data-sharing policies amid ongoing scrutiny of AI-driven surveillance and its role in immigration enforcement.[2]
Frequently Asked Questions
What personal data did Google share with ICE?
Google provided ICE with usernames, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, subscriber details, credit card numbers, bank account information, and service usage lists from Amandla Thomas-Johnson's account.[1]
Why was the data requested by ICE?
The subpoena followed the revocation of Thomas-Johnson's student visa shortly after he attended a pro-Palestinian protest, though no specific justification was detailed in the request.[1]
Was the subpoena approved by a judge?
No, the subpoena was not approved by a judge, and it reportedly included a gag order preventing disclosure.[1]
What are Google employees demanding?
Nearly 1,000 employees signed a letter calling for Google to disclose all ICE and DHS contracts, end partnerships, and stop technologies like cloud and AI from aiding immigration surveillance.[2]
How does this relate to broader surveillance concerns?
It highlights risks of unchecked data sharing between tech firms and agencies like ICE, similar to Flock's license plate data exchanges, potentially impacting privacy and free speech.[1][3]
Has Google responded to the data handover or employee letter?
Google has not issued a public statement on either the specific handover to ICE or the employee petition as of the latest reports.[1][2]
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 9:00:33 PM
**Public outrage erupted** over Google's handover of student journalist Amandla Thomas-Johnson's personal data—including addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, and bank details—to ICE via an unjudged administrative subpoena, sparking accusations of enabling surveillance on pro-Palestinian protesters.[1] A coalition letter blasted tech firms, stating, “We are deeply concerned your companies are failing to challenge unlawful surveillance and defend user privacy and speech,” while demanding court approval before data disclosure and user notifications.[1] Fresh NPR/PBS/Marist polling shows Americans split on ICE, with a majority disapproving overall and the share saying the agency has gone “too far” up 11 points since last summer, led by Democrats and independents.[5]
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 9:10:30 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Google-ICE Data Handover Sparks Technical Privacy Alarms**
Google complied with an ICE subpoena—lacking judicial approval and accompanied by a gag order—to disclose student journalist Amandla Thomas-Johnson's **usernames, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone/subscriber numbers, credit card/bank details, and linked service lists** from his account, shortly after his 2024 pro-Palestinian protest attendance at Cornell led to visa revocation.[2][1] Technically, this bypassed warrant protections under the Stored Communications Act, enabling rapid extraction of location metadata and financial ties without user notification, as critics note it sets a precedent for Big Tech to yield to vague federal demands amid rising immigration surveillance.[1][
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 9:20:37 PM
**Global Impact Alert: International Backlash Grows Over Google-ICE Data Handover**
The handover of British student journalist Amandla Thomas-Johnson's personal data—including usernames, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, and linked bank/credit card details—to ICE has sparked worldwide alarm, with privacy advocates warning it sets a precedent for Big Tech enabling cross-border surveillance that threatens journalists globally[3]. In response, an open letter signed by nearly 1,000 Google employees demanded the company sever ties with ICE and DHS, citing its cloud tech powering immigrant tracking systems like Palantir's ImmigrationOS and generative AI for enforcement efficiency[4]. Thomas-Johnson stated to The Intercept, “we need to think very hard abou
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 9:30:39 PM
**Privacy experts and industry insiders are condemning Google for handing over student journalist Amandla Thomas-Johnson's personal data—including usernames, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, and linked credit card and bank account numbers—to ICE via an unapproved subpoena, following his attendance at a 2024 pro-Palestinian protest at Cornell University.[1][2]** The Student Press Law Center warned, “When a student journalist’s financial and personal data can be handed to immigration authorities simply because they reported on immigration, we have crossed a dangerous line,” while ACLU counsel Jennifer Granick stated these “abusive subpoenas seek to punish individuals for their speech, but that is prohibited by the First Amendment.”[1][4] Nearly 1,00
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 9:40:39 PM
Google disclosed personal and financial data of student journalist **Amandla Thomas-Johnson** to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in response to an unjudged administrative subpoena, including his usernames, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, and bank account numbers[2]. The **Student Press Law Center** has warned that the disclosure "crossed a dangerous line," stating that when "a student journalist's financial and personal data can be handed to immigration authorities simply because they reported on immigration," it threatens academic freedom and deters students from pursuing journalism on sensitive topics[1]. Meanwhile, California is moving to restrict such government overreach—Assembly Bill 49, approved last year, requires school districts to adopt policies
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 9:50:38 PM
Google disclosed personal and financial data—including physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, credit card and bank account numbers—of student journalist Amandla Thomas-Johnson to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in response to an unjudged subpoena after the British Cornell University student attended a pro-Palestinian protest in 2024.[3] The American Civil Liberties Union has moved to quash similar administrative subpoenas, with surveillance counsel Jennifer Granick warning that "abusive subpoenas seek to punish individuals for their speech, but that is prohibited by the First Amendment," while the Student Press Law Center cautioned that the disclosure "could deter students from pursuing journalism careers or covering sensitive topics
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 10:00:41 PM
**Global Impact Alert:** The handover of British student journalist Amandla Thomas-Johnson's personal data—including usernames, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, and bank/credit card details—by Google to ICE has sparked international alarm over Big Tech's compliance with U.S. immigration subpoenas, potentially chilling free speech for foreign students and journalists worldwide.[2][1] Advocacy groups in a letter to tech firms warned, “We are deeply concerned your companies are failing to challenge unlawful surveillance and defend user privacy and speech,” urging demands for court approval before disclosures.[2] Thomas-Johnson himself stated, “We need to think very hard about what resistance looks like under these conditions…where government and Big Tech know so much abou
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 10:10:38 PM
**BREAKING: Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies Over Google-ICE Data Handover**
The ACLU has moved to quash an "abusive" administrative subpoena issued by DHS to Google for a critic's personal data, echoing the case of student journalist Amandla Thomas-Johnson, whose usernames, addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, and bank details were disclosed to ICE via a non-judicial subpoena with gag order[2][5]. ACLU counsel Jennifer Granick stated, “Companies like Google know a lot about our lives, and we should feel confident that the government can’t get their hands on that information on a whim,” warning of First Amendment chills[5]. Watchdog American Oversight sued TSA and ICE under FOI
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 10:20:39 PM
Google's disclosure of student journalist Amandla Thomas-Johnson's personal and financial information to ICE without a court-approved subpoena has triggered calls for corporate accountability, with advocates urging tech companies to "insist that DHS seek court confirmation that their demands are not unlawful or unconstitutional prior to companies disclosing any user information."[1] The incident has intensified concerns about administrative subpoenas being weaponized against Trump administration critics, prompting civil liberties organizations to demand that companies notify users "with meaningful time to challenge subpoenas on their own."[1] Thomas-Johnson, a British Cornell University student, had his usernames, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, an
🔄 Updated: 2/10/2026, 10:30:41 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Google-ICE Data Handover Sparks Big Tech Privacy Arms Race**
Google's disclosure of a student journalist's usernames, IP addresses, phone numbers, credit card details, and bank account numbers to ICE via an unjudicial subpoena has intensified scrutiny on Big Tech's compliance practices, with privacy advocates demanding companies "insist that DHS seek court confirmation" before sharing data[1]. This contrasts with Apple's quicker compliance in prior ICE-related app removals, potentially positioning Google as more transparent amid rising government requests—tens of thousands annually per its transparency reports—while competitors face pressure to adopt stricter challenges[3][4]. Student Press Law Center warns the incident crosses a "dangerous line," risking deterrence of campus journalism and acceleratin