ICE says it bought Paragon’s spyware to use in drug trafficking cases

ICE confirmed it purchased Paragon Solutions spyware under a 2024 contract and has used it in drug trafficking probes.

The Biden administration paused the Paragon deal in 2024 to review compliance with an executive order and ICE reactivated it in September 2025.

Acting Director Todd Lyons said ICE certified the tool posed no significant security or counterintelligence risks.

Paragon’s Graphite spyware has been linked to targeting of journalists and activists in Italy.

Lawmakers and critics have raised constitutional and civil rights concerns about domestic use of commercial spyware.