美国国土安全部在缅因州联邦法院一起诉讼中要求获取当地居民组织的Signal群聊内容，以防止非法移民活动被监督。[1]该案件名称为"Hilton v. Noem"，国土安全部的要求涵盖所有抗议活动列表、反映对执法人员观点的通讯，以及从2025年1月20日至今与观察和记录ICE活动相关的通讯。[1]
抗议者的律师拒绝全部交出这些社区群聊记录，仅提交了部分经过编辑的较小群聊内容。[1]律师Genevieve Nadeau指出："政府希望获得缅因州和全国社区使用的私密Signal聊天记录，以协调对权力滥用的合法回应。"[1]抗议者律师在6月向司法部致函，宣布有意保留所有社区Signal群聊内容。[1]
民权组织FIRE的律师Adam Steinbaugh表示支持抗议者的立场。[1]他指出："如果需要提起诉讼来保护第一修正案权利，就不应该放弃言论结社权。"[1]抗议者律师认为政府的要求本身就构成了对第一修正案的侵犯。[1]
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has requested access to encrypted Signal group chats used by Maine residents organizing protests in a case filed in federal court in Maine known as Hilton v. Noem [1]. The DHS sought the communications to prevent monitoring of immigration enforcement activities, according to lawyers representing the protesters [1].
The government's demands encompassed all protest activity lists, communications reflecting perspectives on law enforcement conduct, and messages related to opportunities to observe or document Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations dating from January 20, 2025 onward [1]. Protesters' legal representatives have resisted the disclosure, arguing that complying would itself constitute a violation of First Amendment rights [1]. The attorneys submitted only limited, redacted materials from smaller group chats while declining to provide records from the community's primary Signal groups [1].
Genevieve Nadeau, representing the protesters, stated that "the government wants access to private Signal chats used by communities in Maine and across the country to coordinate lawful responses to government overreach" [1]. Adam Steinbaugh, a lawyer with civil rights organization FIRE, emphasized that "First Amendment rights to free speech and association should not be abandoned even if litigation becomes necessary to protect them" [1]. In June, the protesters' legal team notified the Department of Justice of their intent to preserve all community Signal group chats while refusing disclosure beyond materials from smaller groups [1].