ICE Wants to Know Who Bought a Certain Green Beanie From REI in the Last 2 Years
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) issued a broad subpoena to REI for the transaction records of anyone who purchased a specific green beanie in the Minneapolis area. This action is part of an investigation into protesters, raising significant privacy and civil liberties concerns regarding the use of customs summons.
Why it matters
The use of administrative subpoenas to track individuals based on retail purchases highlights growing concerns over government surveillance and the erosion of privacy.
New court filings allege that Homeland Security Investigations agents subpoenaed the outdoor retailer in March, requesting the transaction information for “all persons” in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area who had purchased a specific type of dark green beanie from the company since 2024. REI did not respond to questions about whether it had complied with the request and, if so, how many people are affected.
The filings are part of a broader lawsuit by the federal government against 39 people who attended an ICE protest at a church whose pastor also worked as an acting ICE field office director. Both protesters and journalists who were attempting to cover the event, including former CNN host Don Lemon, are now defendants.
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