Icelandic web company FlokiNET defended the release of the data as meeting a “legitimate” public interest.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has asked an Icelandic web hosting company to remove a site containing information about tens of thousands of its employees.
Icelandic company FlokiNET posted on Thursday a letter it received from cybersecurity firm ZeroFox on behalf of DHS.
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The letter accused FlokiNET of violating its terms of service by publishing “stolen” employee data sets and asked it to “delete or deactivate” the information.
“The content is live and puts over 40,000 identifiable individuals at risk of harassment, stalking, and physical harm,” the letter said.
According to FlokiNET, the letter concerns one domain, icepi.cx, that aggregates information about employees of various DHS agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
These agencies have come under intense scrutiny since President Donald Trump launched a mass deportation campaign in 2025.
However, the Trump administration has often refused to identify DHS personnel involved in specific operations, citing security risks.
FlokiNET said it refused to comply with DHS’ request, but noted that the website’s registrar ultimately suspended the domain. Employee information was then moved to another domain.
FlokiNET defended its decision not to remove the site in a statement posted online.
“Federal employees who carry out enforcement programs are not private individuals during their execution,” the company said. “The public has a legitimate interest in knowing who is doing the work, under whose authority, and in what capacity.”
The database was first posted online Wednesday by Decentralized Denial of Secrets (DDoSecrets), a group that showcases leaked government data.
DDoSecrets has previously published emails from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as information from the Israeli Ministry of Justice and US police.
A hacker group calling itself the “Department of Peace” claimed responsibility for acquiring and sharing DHS data.
Since this database was first published, other groups have disseminated the information elsewhere, including sites such as icepi.cx. As a result, it is unlikely that your information will be completely erased from the Internet.
However, the Trump administration has taken an aggressive approach to online platforms that purport to contain information about ICE agents and other officials involved in immigration operations.
Last year, for example, the U.S. Department of Justice pressured big tech companies like Apple to remove apps that track ICE agents, including one called ICEBlock.
The move drew backlash from Democrats and free speech advocates who argued that the public has a right to report on ICE’s actions.
“Blocking access to these apps at the request of the federal government raises the distinct possibility that Apple is violating its customers’ First Amendment rights to cooperate with the government and record and report government activities,” Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin wrote in a letter last year, urging Apple to reconsider its decision.
Meanwhile, immigration officials have taken several steps to conceal their identities while on the job, including wearing masks and casual clothing.
This lack of transparency has spurred criticism from human rights and immigrant advocacy groups, who say there are few avenues to pursue allegations of excessive force or misconduct during ICE raids.
At least 25 people have been shot by immigration officials since Trump took office for his second term. Six of the shootings resulted in fatalities.
Other incidents include alleged violations of civil liberties such as illegal arrest and racial profiling, as well as controversial tactics such as ramming cars and tackling people.
