Washington, D.C. – The U.S. government has admitted its reliance on Canary Mission—a controversial pro-Israel platform—to identify pro-Palestinian students for potential deportation. This revelation has ignited outrage among human rights advocates.
For some time, activists suspected that President Donald Trump’s administration was utilizing data from the Canary Mission website to target students and faculty who express pro-Palestinian sentiments. This suspicion was confirmed during a recent court case where a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official testified about the deportation efforts aimed at these student demonstrators.
Peter Hatch, an agent from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), disclosed that a specialized task force—dubbed a “tiger team”—has been established specifically to focus on removing pro-Palestinian students from the U.S. Hatch mentioned that some information about targeted students was relayed verbally, but the team also reviewed nearly 5,000 profiles compiled by Canary Mission, which monitors critics of Israel.
When asked by Judge William Young whether the team received lists directly from Canary Mission, Hatch affirmed with a simple “yes.”
Heba Gowayed, a sociology professor at the City University of New York (CUNY), described the government’s dependence on an online blacklist that publicly shares personal details to intimidate activists as “absurd and fascist.” She emphasized, “Canary Mission is essentially a doxxing platform that actively targets individuals based on what it deems pro-Palestinian rhetoric, labeling it as anti-Semitic. Its primary function is to harass and intimidate.” She questioned, “How can a hate group be utilized to determine immigrant rights in our country?”
The Crackdown
Following widespread demonstrations against Israeli actions in Gaza, advocates of Israel framed the protests as anti-Semitic and a risk to Jewish students’ safety. Meanwhile, protestors argued that their actions aimed to highlight human rights violations against Palestinians, facing calls from conservative figures to suppress the movement and punish its participants.
Upon returning to office in January, Trump signed several executive orders aimed at deporting non-citizens involved in the student protests. One such order stated, “It shall be the policy of the United States to combat anti-Semitism vigorously,” directing officials to establish mechanisms for tracking activities by foreign students and staff.
In March, Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University and a permanent resident married to a U.S. citizen, became a notable target of Trump’s campaign. Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a little-used provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act to mandate Khalil’s deportation, claiming his presence negatively impacted U.S. foreign policy. Following Khalil’s case, numerous other students faced detainment, with some opting to leave voluntarily to evade imprisonment, while others continue to fight their deportation.
Free speech advocates condemned this campaign as a blatant infringement on constitutionally protected rights, but the Trump administration defended it as an immigration issue within their jurisdiction. Before the recent presidential elections, the Heritage Foundation, a prominent right-leaning think tank, launched Project Esther—a proposal targeting the Palestine solidarity movement in the U.S., emphasizing the use of Canary Mission data.
A ‘Witch Hunt’ Against Students
Palestinian rights advocates have long criticized Canary Mission for publishing personal information about activists—such as names, photographs, and employment details—while obscuring its own staff’s identities. The Trump administration has stated it is focusing on students suspected of promoting violence, anti-Semitism, or connections to “terrorist” organizations, yet none of the detained students have faced criminal charges, and many merely expressed mild critiques of Israel.
For example, the sole allegation against Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish scholar at Tufts University, was that she co-authored an op-ed calling for her school to support a student resolution demanding divestment from Israeli businesses. This editorial, published in the student newspaper, resulted in Ozturk being added to the Canary Mission blacklist, leading to deportation efforts against her.
Andrew Ross, a professor at New York University, criticized the government’s use of Canary Mission’s information, labeling the approach as “sloppy” and biased. He elaborated that while the site appears well-funded, its content is selectively curated to misrepresent its targets as anti-Semitic. “They seek out material to manipulate and present these individuals in a negative light,” Ross stated, noting he himself has been profiled by the site for his criticism of Israel, which he deems a “witch hunt.”
How Does Canary Mission Work?
Although Canary Mission does not seem to fabricate information, it effectively portrays legitimate criticism of Israel as bigotry. Individual profiles often malign individuals for innocuous actions, such as sharing materials from organizations like Amnesty International that critique Israeli practices.
The profiles are optimized for search engines, meaning that even if the claims are unfounded, individuals frequently find their names associated with derogatory profiles at the top of online searches. Advocates argue this tactic adversely affects careers, mental health, and personal safety. “It has led to job losses and various negative consequences,” Gowayed noted. Ross also reported receiving hate mail as a result of his Canary Mission profile, expressing concern for marginalized individuals who are particularly vulnerable in this climate of intimidation. Founded in 2015, Canary Mission continues to expand, yet its operators and financial backers remain largely anonymous. Past media reports have indicated the Israeli government has utilized the site for detentions, and links to an Israel-based non-profit have emerged connecting it to wealthy American donors operating through a network of Jewish charities.
‘Silencing Dissent’
On a recent Thursday, Palestine Legal denounced the Trump administration for relying on the controversial website. They stated on social media, “Under Trump, ICE has publicly admitted to targeting pro-Palestinian activists based on an undisclosed blacklist site. This campaign, alongside the mass deportation efforts, is clearly rooted in racism.”
J Street, a self-described pro-Israel and pro-peace organization, also criticized the government for using Canary Mission. “The site feeds into the Trump Administration’s agenda, weaponizing anti-Semitism to surveil and deport student activists. This isn’t about protecting Jewish communities—it’s about suppressing dissent.”
The State Department did not respond to inquiries regarding the government’s usage of Canary Mission, redirecting attention to remarks made by Secretary Rubio in May. “If you intend to disrupt activities on our campuses, we’ll deny your visa. If you’re currently here, we will revoke it,” he stated.
While DHS did not provide commentary, it appears the Trump administration may also be leveraging more extreme sources for deportation activities. During the recent court hearing, when Hatch was queried about other sources, he mentioned a second site he could not recall—potentially the far-right, Islamophobic group Betar, known to have connections to the violent Kahanist movement in Israel.
Gowayed condemned the government’s approach as an egregious violation of justice and legal standards, remarking, “What’s even more concerning is their lack of knowledge on which hate groups they’re utilizing.”