Homeland Security subpoenaed REI for customer purchase data in church protest inquiry

The short version

• Homeland Security Investigations issued a subpoena to REI in March seeking transaction records for Minneapolis-area customers who bought a specific dark green beanie since 2024.
• The request is part of 92 administrative customs summonses sent during an investigation into 39 protesters and journalists who attended an ICE-related demonstration at a Minnesota church.
• Companies have responded differently to the demands, with some providing customer records and others resisting or rejecting the requests on privacy and First Amendment grounds.
• Whether REI complied with the administrative summons or turned over customer records remains unconfirmed by the company and federal officials.

Key facts

• Court filings indicate Homeland Security Investigations issued an administrative customs summons to REI requesting transaction data for all Minneapolis-St. Paul area buyers of a specific dark green beanie since 2024.[Wired]
• The REI request was among 92 administrative summonses sent to various entities, including airlines, social media networks, and telecom companies, as part of a federal case against 39 defendants.[Wired]
• The underlying lawsuit involves an ICE protest at a Minnesota church led by a pastor who had served as an acting ICE field office director, with defendants including protesters and journalists such as Don Lemon and Georgia Fort.[Wired]
• Attorneys for defendant Georgia Fort stated the government obtained six months of her call and text records from T-Mobile via a customs summons, while Google refused a request for her YouTube viewer and subscriber data.[Wired]
• Lawmakers including Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Pramila Jayapal have raised concerns that Section 1509 customs summonses, meant for trade compliance, are being used for broad surveillance without judicial oversight.[Wired]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• ICE Wants to Know Who Bought a Certain Green Beanie From REI in the Last 2 YearsWired metered