1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I urge Congress to immediately investigate reports that the Department of Homeland Security and ICE plan to spend $125 million on Thomson Reuters CLEAR, a commercial database containing sensitive personal information, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, geolocation data, social media activity, and other records, reportedly for investigations involving immigration and "voter fraud." If these reports are accurate, this program raises serious constitutional, privacy, and oversight concerns. Congress should determine whether purchasing commercially collected personal data allows the government to bypass protections that would otherwise require warrants, court orders, or other legal safeguards. The Supreme Court has recognized limits on warrantless government access to sensitive digital information, and Americans should not lose constitutional protections simply because their data is sold by private companies. The reported capability for continuous monitoring of millions of individuals also raises concerns about mass surveillance, mission creep, and the potential chilling of First Amendment rights, including free speech, political participation, and lawful association. Additionally, Congress should examine ICE's statutory authority to investigate alleged voter fraud. Election enforcement has traditionally been handled by state election officials and the Department of Justice. If ICE is expanding its mission without explicit congressional authorization, that deserves immediate oversight. I ask Congress to hold public hearings, require DHS to release the legal basis for this program, review any Privacy Impact Assessments, and direct the DHS Inspector General and Government Accountability Office to audit the procurement. Congress should also consider legislation preventing federal agencies from purchasing commercially available personal data in ways that circumvent constitutional protections and existing privacy laws. This petition does not presume wrongdoing. It asks Congress to fulfill its constitutional oversight responsibilities by determining whether this reported program complies with the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments, the Privacy Act of 1974, and other applicable federal laws. Americans deserve transparency, accountability, and assurance that government surveillance powers are exercised lawfully and with appropriate safeguards for civil liberties.