ICE reactivates contract with spyware maker Paragon

Summary

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) signed a contract last year with Israeli spyware maker Paragon worth $2 million. Shortly after, the Biden administration put the contract under review, issuing a “stop work order,” to determine whether the contract complied with an executive order on commercial spyware, which restricts U.S. government agencies from using spyware that could violate human rights or target Americans abroad. Almost a year later, when it looked like the contract would just run out and never become active, ICE lifted the stop work order, according to public records. “This contract is for a fully configured proprietary solution including license, hardware, warranty, maintenance, and training. This modification is to lift the stop work order,” read an update dated August 30 on the U.S. government’s Federal Procurement Data System, a database of government contracts. Independent journalist Jack Poulson was the first to report the news in his newsletter. Contact Us Do you have more information about Paragon, and this contract with ICE? From a non-work device, you can contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai securely on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, or via Telegram and Keybase @lorenzofb, or email. You also can contact TechCrunch via SecureDrop. Paragon has for years cultivated the image of being an “ethical” and responsible spyware maker, in contrast with controversial spyware purveyors such as Hacking Team, Intellexa, and NSO Group. On its official website, Paragon claims to provide its customers with “ethically based tools, teams, and insights.” The spyware maker faces an ethical dilemma. Now that the contract with ICE’s Information Technology Division is active, it’s up to Paragon to decide whether it wants to continue its relationship with ICE, an agency that has dramatically ramped up mass deportations and expanded its surveillance powers since Donald Trump took over the White House. Techcrunch event San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025 Emily Horne...