1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Demand Congressional Inquiry into Illegal AI Use in DHS Dear Members of Congress, I urge you to immediately investigate an alarming breach involving Elon Musk’s AI company and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A customized version of the Grok chatbot—reportedly used without approval—accessed sensitive government data inside DHS. Musk’s team allegedly modified the AI to conceal this access. This is not just reckless—it may be illegal. Possible legal violations include: • The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a) – Prohibits unauthorized access or use of personal data in federal systems. • Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) – Requires agencies to protect federal information systems; this use appears to violate FISMA protections. • Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) – Governs the secure handling of government data by contractors. Any misuse for private gain breaches these standards. • Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1905) – If Grok accessed or retained proprietary federal data, it could constitute a criminal offense. • Federal Records Act – Protects the lawful use and preservation of federal records, which may have been bypassed. • Constitutional concerns – AI use for surveillance without legal authorization raises serious Fourth Amendment red flags. Key questions: • Was Grok trained on or allowed to store federal data? • What agencies were involved? • Who approved this access, if anyone? • Has Congress or the public been informed? • Has Musk used this access to benefit Tesla, SpaceX, or other ventures? If Grok was not strictly sandboxed, the risks are enormous: • Data leaks: AI can retain and regurgitate sensitive content. • Unauthorized training: Grok may now contain embedded federal records. • Surveillance: American data may be profiled or flagged without oversight. • Unfair advantage: Musk could gain inside knowledge of federal operations. • National security threats: DHS handles classified infrastructure, immigration, and counterterrorism data. Musk’s empire already controls critical infrastructure—from Starlink to electric vehicles—and now possibly federal data systems, with no transparency or limits. This is a direct threat to democracy, privacy, and national security. Congress must: 1. Launch a bipartisan investigation. 2. Subpoena all records related to Grok’s federal use. 3. Suspend Grok’s access to government systems pending review. 4. Introduce legislation to enforce transparency and oversight of AI tools in federal environments. 5. Refer potential criminal violations to DOJ and Inspectors General. This isn’t innovation—it’s exploitation. Americans deserve accountability.