Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Todd Lyons confirmed the agency is using Graphite, a powerful "zero-click" spyware tool, to intercept encrypted messages and combat fentanyl trafficking operations.

Key Points

• ICE is utilizing Graphite, a surveillance tool developed by Paragon Solutions, to access encrypted communications on targeted devices without requiring user interaction.
• Acting Director Todd Lyons stated the technology is intended to dismantle foreign terrorist organizations and disrupt transnational fentanyl trafficking networks.
• The agency previously signed a $2 million contract for the software, which was briefly paused under a 2023 executive order before being revived last fall.
• Graphite has been linked to the targeting of journalists and civil society members globally, leading to concerns regarding potential misuse against domestic protesters and marginalized communities.
• Paragon Solutions was acquired in late 2024 by AE Industrial Partners and merged with the cybersecurity firm REDLattice.

Why it Matters

The use of invasive spyware by a domestic law enforcement agency raises significant questions regarding the balance between national security efforts and the constitutional privacy rights of U.S. citizens. This revelation intensifies the ongoing debate in Congress over surveillance reform and the government's authority to deploy advanced digital tools against individuals within the United States.