DOJ admits DHS agents broke policy by threatening to put peaceful observers on 'domestic terrorist' watchlist [View all]

Source: Law & Crime

Mar 17th, 2026, 12:28 pm


The Trump administration has admitted that agents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatened to put Maine women observing their activities onto a federal watchlist.

In a 24-page court filing, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sought to convince a judge that a temporary restraining order (TRO) and immediate relief by the legal observers are unnecessary. Though conceding that DHS officers "suggested" that citizens' information would be taken during interactions at immigration-enforcement operations, the DOJ maintains that no such promises were followed up on.

"While DHS, as do other law enforcement agencies, maintains databases relevant to law enforcement investigations, the officers involved in the encounters with Plaintiffs did not enter their information into a database or watchlist related to those encounters," the filing states. "Defendants acknowledge that officers on the ground suggested otherwise, however, those statements were contrary to DHS policy."

The Trump administration went so far as to share declarations from DHS Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) leaders stating that neither Elinor Hilton nor Colleen Fagan were placed on any database. Moreover, the federal immigration agency sent a memo to agents reminding them of "First Amendment Protected Activities."

Read more: https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/empty-threats-doj-admits-dhs-agents-broke-policy-by-threatening-to-put-peaceful-observers-on-domestic-terrorist-watchlist/