this post was submitted on 02 Sep 2025
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Ice obtains access to Israeli-made spyware that can hack phones and encrypted apps (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 3 days ago by geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml to c/technology@lemmy.world
181 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

US immigration agents will have access to one of the world’s most sophisticated hacking tools after a decision by the Trump administration to move ahead with a contract with Paragon Solutions, a company founded in Israel which makes spyware that can be used to hack into any mobile phone – including encrypted applications.

The Department of Homeland Security first entered into a contract with Paragon, now owned by a US firm, in late 2024, under the Biden administration. But the $2m contract was put on hold pending a compliance review to make sure it adhered to an executive order that restricts the US government’s use of spyware, Wired reported at the time.

That pause has now been lifted, according to public procurement documents, which list US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) as the contracting agency.

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[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I understand your point, but these people know what they're signing up for and why they're putting in the uniform every day. We shouldn't pretend these people are in anyway innocent or not culpable for their crimes. Regardless of orders, these are people who are willingly causing pain, suffering and death to innocents.

Fuck them. Fuck their bosses. None of them get any credit or sympathy. I don't care if they started when ice was formed, they know what their orders are and are still there, what they signed up for is entirely immaterial. Also, ice was shit from the start, so even less sympathy from me.

Regardless, attacking the people following orders doesn't change the orders, we should be attacking the top.

Making people hesitant to throw in with the brownshirts for fear of social reprisal is a perfectly valid strategy for attacking the top. Make less people want to participate in their crimes makes it harder for them to do crimes.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Make less people want to participate in their crimes makes it harder for them to do crimes.

No, it just means the reasonable people will leave and it'll attract the types who actually agree with it. There will always be more people to take those jobs.

The real solution is changing the leadership and laws.

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That's a much smaller pool of people than those who may willingly go along with it but object otherwise.

Stop giving thugs a pass for being thugs, just because their bosses are shit. You can attack both, this isn't some kind of mutually exclusive action.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

My point is that killing ICE agents won't make things better and will probably make things worse.

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'm not advocating for murder, I just look forward to the American Nuremberg trials and hope we get a modern day John C Woods.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

This is the original comment (not you):

Only good Ice agent is a dead one.

This is your reply:

They volunteered for this, they can sleep in the pit for it in the end.

That sounds to me like you're happy if one of them gets killed. That's not directly advocating for murder, but it's pretty close IMO.

The proper process is through a trial and a change in the law, and probably a change in leadership.

My original point was that blaming the agents misses the point, if they're unwilling to follow orders, people who are willing will be hired. The real problem is the orders and the people given them. Individual agents may have some culpability, but focusing on that won't solve the problem.