US Subpoenas Reddit and X for Anonymous ICE Critics

Federal authorities are pursuing the identities of anonymous social media users who have criticized immigration enforcement operations, issuing grand jury subpoenas to major platforms as part of criminal investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Washington has demanded names, addresses, and banking information from Reddit and X, targeting at least two anonymous accounts that posted criticism of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The users were not directly notified by the Justice Department but learned of the subpoenas after being contacted by the social media companies. Their attorneys report that the government first issued administrative summonses, which do not indicate a criminal investigation, and then withdrew them before escalating to grand jury subpoenas. A lawyer representing one of the users stated this progression is proof of a bad faith attempt to unmask the user.

Defense attorneys say their clients have not been informed of any specific charges but suspect the investigations may relate to allegations of revealing a federal officer’s location data or perceived threats. They contend their clients committed no crimes and that the posts in question are relatively...