Google Handed Student Journalist's Personal Data to ICE After Protest

Administrative subpoenas allowed ICE to collect sensitive information from Google, raising concerns about Big Tech's role in government surveillance.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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A British graduate student at Cornell University, Amandla Thomas-Johnson, attended a pro-Palestinian protest in 2024. In 2026, ICE issued an administrative subpoena to Google demanding Thomas-Johnson's comprehensive personal data, including usernames, addresses, phone numbers, and financial records. Google complied immediately, then notified Thomas-Johnson only after handing over the information. The timing suggests coordination between ICE and Cornell, as the data request came shortly after the university notified Thomas-Johnson that his student visa had been revoked.

Why it matters

This case highlights how government agencies like ICE are using administrative subpoenas to obtain user data from tech companies, even when they lack legal warrants. It reveals the willingness of Big Tech firms to comply with these requests, prioritizing cooperation over user privacy protections. The surveillance of political dissidents, including student journalists, raises concerns about the chilling effect on free speech and the normalization of corporate-government partnerships targeting marginalized communities.

The details

ICE used an administrative subpoena, which carries no legal enforcement power, to demand Thomas-Johnson's comprehensive Google data, including usernames, physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers, and complete financial records like credit card and bank account numbers. Google immediately complied, then only notified Thomas-Johnson after handing over the information. The timing suggests coordination, as the data request arrived within two hours of Cornell notifying Thomas-Johnson that his student visa had been revoked.

  • In 2024, Amandla Thomas-Johnson attended a pro-Palestinian protest at Cornell University.
  • In March 2026, ICE issued an administrative subpoena demanding Thomas-Johnson's Google data.
  • Within two hours of Cornell notifying Thomas-Johnson that his student visa had been revoked, ICE's data demand arrived.

The players

Amandla Thomas-Johnson

A British graduate student at Cornell University who attended a pro-Palestinian protest in 2024.

Google

The tech company that complied with ICE's administrative subpoena and handed over Thomas-Johnson's personal and financial data.

ICE

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency that issued the administrative subpoena to Google, seeking Thomas-Johnson's data.

Cornell University

The institution that notified Thomas-Johnson of the revocation of his student visa, shortly before ICE's data request to Google.

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What they’re saying

“We need to think very hard about what resistance looks like under these conditions where government and Big Tech know so much about us, can track us, can imprison, can destroy us in a variety of ways.”

— Amandla Thomas-Johnson (The Intercept)

What’s next

Thomas-Johnson, who fled the U.S. over deportation fears, now continues his Cornell Ph.D. remotely from abroad.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing concerns about the willingness of tech companies to comply with government surveillance requests, even when they lack legal authority. It demonstrates how political dissent can be weaponized against marginalized communities, and underscores the need for stronger privacy protections and oversight of corporate-government partnerships.