DHS Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Facial Recognition Surveillance and Terror Watchlist Threats in Maine

A class action lawsuit accuses DHS of using facial recognition and license plate readers to intimidate legal observers and threatening them with terror watchlists.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 24, 2026, 4:38 AM EST

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Politico

Federal Agents Accused of First Amendment Violations

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the target of a new class action lawsuit filed Monday in the U.S. District Court of Maine. The plaintiffs, legal observers Colleen Fagan and Elinor Hilton, allege that federal agents utilized facial recognition technology and license plate readers to surveil them while they were documenting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Portland. The legal filing names DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as a defendant, accusing the agency of using high tech tools to suppress First Amendment activities.

According to the complaint, the incidents occurred in late January 2026. The observers claim that while they were recording federal officers, agents used mobile devices to scan their biometric data. The suit further alleges that one officer explicitly told Hilton that continued attendance at such events would result in her being placed on a "domestic terrorist watchlist," followed by a chilling promise that agents would "come to your house later tonight."

Tactics of Intimidation and Home Visits

The lawsuit describes a pattern of behavior designed to instill fear in those tasked with monitoring federal law enforcement. Beyond the immediate confrontations on the street, the plaintiffs cited multiple reports of agents following up on their digital surveillance with physical visits. The complaint details instances where ICE officers allegedly drove to observers' private homes to honk aggressively or deliver verbal warnings, such as "This is a warning. We know where you live."

These allegations suggest a significant escalation in the use of portable surveillance tech for domestic crowd control and monitoring. While DHS has officially stated it does not maintain a formal "domestic terrorist" database, the agency does acknowledge monitoring what it labels as "threats, assaults and obstruction" of its officers. The lawsuit seeks an immediate injunction to bar the agency from using these technologies for the purpose of threatening or intimidating legal observers.