ICE List Website Raises Questions About DHS Employee Data and “Doxing”
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A crowdsourced website called ICE List went viral last week after its creators claimed to have obtained a leak of personal information on nearly 4,500 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees. However, an analysis by WIRED revealed the database largely relies on information DHS personnel have publicly shared online, sparking debate over privacy, security, and the definition of “doxing.”
The emergence of ICE List coincides with a period where DHS has actively characterized the reporting or publicizing of ICE officers’ identities as “doxing” – the act of revealing private personal information – and vowed to prosecute those perceived to be engaging in the practice to the fullest extent of the law. This aggressive stance adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
How ICE List Operates
ICE List functions as a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, maintained by volunteers who have the authority to determine who is added to the database and what information is considered “verified.” The site organizes information into category pages, each linking to individual profiles. Notably, not all individuals listed are current or former ICE employees; the wiki includes figures like Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, who DHS confirmed to the Associated Press is not an ICE agent. Tarrio’s profile lists his “Agency” as “N/A” and his “Role” as “Propagandist; Agitator.” Tarrio himself posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, expressing a desire to work for ICE while simultaneously dismissing his ICE List page as disinformation.
Is It Doxing? The Site Owner’s Perspective
Dominick Skinner, the owner of ICE List, maintains that the site’s activities do not constitute doxing. He emphasizes that the platform does not publish home addresses and states on its “About” page that “false submissions, harassment, or attempts to misuse the platform will be removed.” Skinner argues, “If this were doxing, then we dox ourselves by simply being present in online environments,” a sentiment he describes as “rather ridiculous.”
Reliance on Publicly Available Information
A WIRED review of 1,580 profiles in the “Agents” category as of January 22 found that approximately 90 percent cite LinkedIn as a source of information. However, many of these links are now broken, and not all support the claims made on the wiki. The site acknowledges the possibility of errors on its “About” page. Despite these inaccuracies, some links do correspond to federal immigration agents previously identified in official ICE press releases and court records.
The analysis highlights a concerning trend: DHS employees, like many other professionals, routinely share details about their careers and lives on social media platforms. These individuals are often posting updates on LinkedIn – sharing New Year’s resolutions, engaging with motivational content, and indicating they are “#opentowork.”
Data Sources and Transparency
Beyond LinkedIn, ICE List also cites OpenPayrolls, a searchable database of public employee salaries, and SignalHire, a data broker specializing in lead generation. A spokesperson for OpenPayrolls clarified that the ICE-related payroll records on their site were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the US Office of Personnel Management and that they have not received any concerns from government agencies regarding the display of this public information. SignalHire did not respond to a request for comment, but their website also features direct links to LinkedIn profiles of individuals identifying as ICE officers.
The DHS did not respond to requests for comment regarding the ICE List website or its implications.
The situation raises critical questions about the balance between transparency, public access to information, and the privacy of government employees. As the debate continues, the case of ICE List serves as a stark reminder of the information readily available online and the potential consequences of its aggregation.
