Welch Joins Over 70 Bicameral Democrats in Calling for Investigation of ICE, DHS’ Warrantless Purchases of Americans’ Location Data

Mar 4, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.),Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, joinedU.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.),U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), and 70 bicameral Democrats in calling for a new investigation of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), over warrantless purchases of Americans’ location data.
In their letter, the bicameral lawmakers called on DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari to investigate ICE and other DHS agencies restarting warrantless purchases of cell phone location data. The DHS Inspector Generalpreviously foundthat ICE’s data purchases were illegal, causing the program to shut down in 2023, following an investigationrequestedby Senate Democrats.
The lawmakers wrote: “Location data is extremely sensitive, and can reveal someone’s religion, their political views, medical conditions, addictions, and with whom they spend time. It is for that reason that ordinarily, the government must obtain a warrant from a judge in order to demand such data from phone or technology companies.”
“Given DHS’ failure to adopt a policy for the use of commercial data, coupled with ICE awarding a no-bid contract to a shady data broker that is likely violating federal law, we urge you to open another investigation into the purchase and use of location data by ICE and other DHS components,”the lawmakers continued.
In 2025, ICE issued a no-bid contract to the surveillance company Penlink in 2025,which included licensesfor Webloc, its location tracking product. Webloc was developed by the controversial surveillance company Cobwebs Technologies, which combined with Penlink in 2023. Meta banned Cobwebs in 2021, as part of a crackdown on surveillance mercenaries after detecting the company’s customers targeting activists, opposition politicians and government officials in Hong Kong and Mexico.
The members requested the Inspector General investigate:
Sens. Welch and Wyden are joined on the letter in the Senate by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill). In addition to Rep. Espaillat, the letter is signed by over 50 members of the House of Representatives. Read the full listhere.
Read and downloadthe lawmakers’ full letter to DHS Inspector General Cuffari.
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