U.S. Immigration Enforcement Expands Use of Phone-Hacking Tech with $3 Million Contract

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through its law enforcement division Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has recently secured a $3 million contract with Magnet Forensics. This contract, listed in a federal procurement database on Tuesday, covers software licenses for advanced phone-hacking and data extraction technology, believed to be Graykey, developed by Grayshift and now under Magnet Forensics following a 2023 acquisition.

The contract aims to provide HSI with tools to recover digital evidence, process multiple devices efficiently, and generate comprehensive forensic reports vital to national security and public safety efforts. Although the document does not specify the product name, the context strongly suggests it pertains to Graykey, a forensic system designed to unlock smartphones and extract data remotely.

Details of the Contract and Previous Agreements

In addition to this recent deal, ICE and HSI have entered into several other contractual arrangements with Magnet Forensics and its partner Panamerica Computers:

• Magnet Griffeye Enterprise Subscription

Worth: $145,000 Purpose: Data collection, processing, organization, and analysis for investigative evidence Signed: Tuesday

• GrayKey Premier Software Renewal Licenses

Worth: $90,000 Purpose: Extraction of data from iOS and Android devices for law enforcement investigations in Detroit Signed: September 5

• Additional Graykey Software Licenses

Worth: $57,000 Purpose: Digital evidence recovery across multiple devices for investigative operations Signed: August 21

• Software Licenses for HSI in Charlotte

Worth: $12,000 Purpose: Unspecified forensic tools Signed: August 18

Magnet Forensics has yet to respond to inquiries from TechCrunch about these contracts. An ICE spokesperson acknowledged receipt of requests but did not issue further remarks, and DHS remains silent on the matter.

Broader Technology Arsenal of ICE

Aside from Graykey, ICE employs a broad array of surveillance and data analysis tools, including facial recognition software from Clearview AI, spyware from Paragon for mobile device monitoring, and analytics platforms such as Palantir, to support its immigration enforcement and deportation campaigns.

Past Contracts and Operations

Last year, ICE signed a significant $5 million contract with Magnet Forensics for Graykey, marking an intensification of its digital investigative capacity. Graykey has been active since 2016, positioning itself as a competitor to Israeli-based Cellebrite’s UFED system, a longstanding leader in mobile data extraction.

Contact and Privacy Information

For those with information or concerns regarding ICE's use of Graykey devices or related surveillance efforts, privacy advocates encourage secure communication via Signal (+1 917 257 1382), Telegram, or Keybase (@lorenzofb), or through TechCrunch’s SecureDrop platform.

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Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai is a Senior Writer at TechCrunch specializing in cybersecurity, hacking, surveillance, and privacy. To reach him, email lorenzo@techcrunch.com or contact via encrypted channels as noted above.

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Keywords: DHS, Graykey, Grayshift, Homeland Security Investigations, ICE, surveillance technology, digital evidence, phone hacking, forensic software