A partially unsealed court filing alleges that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement used a Palantir-built database to compile dossiers on people observing its operations, including photos, license plate numbers, and other personal data. The filing, part of a proposed class action in Maine, focuses on agents' conduct during an immigration enforcement surge in January. One agent, identified as J.C., created records in the Investigative Case Management (ICM) database for at least six observers, labeling some as threats to law enforcement.
The ICM system was built by Palantir under a 2014 contract, with a five-year support deal initially valued at up to $96 million in 2022 and an additional $30 million added in 2025 for a new platform called ImmigrationOS. Palantir did not respond to requests for comment. A DHS spokesperson called the case meritless, and the government's motion to dismiss argues the incidents were isolated and violated policy. The plaintiffs' attorneys say the surveillance had a chilling effect, with one observer stopping all ICE observation work after receiving a threatening phone call from an agent.