Trump Green-Lights Paragon: Why Letting ICE Hack Phones Is a Dangerous Shortcut to Surveillance State 2.0

Introduction

In early September 2025, the Trump administration quietly lifted a pause on a $2 million contract between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions. That means ICE is full-steam-ahead with deploying Graphite, a surveillance tool capable of hijacking your phone—reading WhatsApp messages, activating your mic, or tracking your every move. Let’s break down why this isn’t just “another tech contract.”

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What Is Paragon Solutions & Graphite?

Paragon Solutions, founded in 2019 by ex-Israeli intelligence figures—including Unit 8200 commander Ehud Schneorson and former PM Ehud Barak—has pitched itself as the “ethical” alternative to companies like NSO Group.
Their spyware, Graphite, can stealthily infiltrate smartphones, intercept encrypted apps (like WhatsApp or Signal), pillage data, and remotely turn on microphones.
Despite their “ethical veneer,” Graphite has already been linked to the hacking of journalists and activists in Europe. Paragon severed ties only after public exposure.
In late 2024, Paragon was acquired by U.S. private equity firm AE Industrial Partners, aligning it with U.S. interests and setting the stage for the contract revival.

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Why This Matters: The Dangerous Domino Effect

Unchecked Surveillance Powers: Graphite transforms a phone into a live spy device—no warrant, no oversight. With ICE already under scrutiny for due process violations, the risk of abuse skyrockets.
Ethical Cover, Real Threats: Paragon markets itself as a “responsible” alternative, but its tech has already been turned against journalists and activists. Tools this powerful rarely stay in their lane.
Surveillance Without Transparency: The contract revival was quiet—no debate, no transparency. Critics argue Congress needs to step in before ICE sets precedent for how spyware is deployed inside U.S. borders.
Precedent for Domestic Targeting: Trump’s political history and ICE’s enforcement track record make this combo especially dangerous. The same tech justified for “border enforcement” could easily expand to political policing.

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Bottom Line

Letting ICE run with Paragon’s Graphite is more than a tech contract—it’s a widening of surveillance avenues that erode civil liberties. When the power to hack isn’t checked by oversight or transparency, any phone can become a spy device, and any person can end up on a watchlist—not because they broke the law, but because they exist.

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