DHS seeks takedown of site listing 40,000 employee records
An Icelandic host refused a request from ZeroFox to remove data on federal agents, though the domain was later suspended by its registrar.
By Ivan Mori ·
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security asked an Icelandic web hosting provider to delete a website containing records for more than 40,000 federal employees on Thursday. FlokiNET, the hosting company, published a letter it received from cybersecurity firm ZeroFox, which acted on behalf of DHS. The correspondence accused FlokiNET of breaching its terms of service by hosting what DHS described as stolen data. The letter argued that the live content exposed identifiable individuals to risks including harassment, stalking, and physical harm.
The specific domain in question, icepi.cx, compiled personnel information from various DHS agencies. The data included records for officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. These agencies have faced intense public scrutiny since President Donald Trump launched his mass deportation campaign in 2025. Despite this visibility, the administration has frequently declined to identify specific agents involved in operations, citing safety concerns for its staff.
FlokiNET stated that it declined to comply with DHS’s initial request to remove the information. However, the company noted that the domain’s registrar suspended the site after the dispute. The employee data has since migrated to a different online address. In a defense of its stance, FlokiNET argued that federal officers performing enforcement duties are not private individuals while on the job. The company asserted that the public has a legitimate interest in knowing who is conducting the work and under whose authority.
The dataset originally appeared online on Wednesday through DDoSecrets, a group that publishes leaked government documents. DDoSecrets has previously released emails from Jeffrey Epstein and records from the Israeli Ministry of Justice. A hacker group named the Department of Peace claimed responsibility for acquiring and sharing the DHS data. Since the initial release, other groups have copied the information to various sites, making it difficult to completely remove from the internet.
The Trump administration has previously taken aggressive steps against digital platforms tracking immigration agents. Last year, the Department of Justice pressured tech companies, including Apple, to remove apps that allow users to locate ICE officers. One such app, ICEBlock, was removed after the agency’s request. The move drew criticism from Democrats and free-speech advocates who believed the public had a right to monitor government activity.
Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin wrote to Apple last year, questioning whether the company was working with the federal government to violate customers' First Amendment rights. He argued that blocking access to tracking apps interfered with the public's ability to report on government actions. Meanwhile, immigration agents have adopted measures to hide their identities during raids, such as wearing face masks and street clothes. Critics argue this lack of transparency limits the ability of human rights groups to pursue allegations of excessive force.
Since President Trump began his second term, at least 25 people have been shot by immigration agents. Six of those incidents resulted in deaths. Other cases have involved claims of unlawful arrests, racial profiling, and the use of tactics like car ramming. The recent data leak adds to the debate over the transparency of federal enforcement operations.
