ICE subpoenas REI for customer data linked to Minnesota protest
HSI subpoenaed REI for identities of green beanie buyers near Minneapolis since 2024.
Why it matters: This subpoena raises legal questions about privacy rights and government investigatory reach in protest-related cases. It also challenges corporate obligations to protect customer data amid politically sensitive investigations.
- HSI issued a subpoena to REI in March 2026 requesting customer data on dark green beanie purchasers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area dating back two years.
- The subpoena is part of 92 issued in an investigation into 39 individuals involved in a January 2026 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
- The protest targeted a church pastor who also served as acting field director of the St. Paul ICE office.
- HSI used 1509 customs summonses, usually for import/export investigation, to gather data on domestic protest participants.
In March 2026, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents subpoenaed outdoor retailer REI for transaction records of customers who purchased a specific dark green beanie in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area since 2024. This request is part of a broader federal probe into a protest held in January 2026 at Cities Church in St. Paul, where the pastor, David Easterwood, also serves as the acting field director of the St. Paul ICE field office.
The protest resulted in federal charges against 39 individuals, including journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, who were covering the event. Authorities have issued 92 subpoenas, including the one to REI, to identify people connected to the protest. Notably, HSI employed 1509 customs summonses, tools traditionally limited to import-export investigations, to seek domestic information about purchasers of a specific clothing item linked to protest participants.
The subpoenas have ignited controversy over government overreach and privacy. Senator Ron Wyden called the demand "flat-out absurd," criticizing the Department of Homeland Security's approach as part of a broader federal crackdown in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, REI has emphasized its responsibility to protect customer privacy, though the company has not publicly disclosed whether it complied with the subpoena.
This case spotlights the tension between investigative powers used in politically charged contexts and corporate obligations to safeguard consumer information. It also raises questions about the potential chilling effect such subpoenas might have on customers and protesters alike.
For more details on the subpoena and protests, see Wired and ABC News.
By the numbers:
- 92 subpoenas issued by HSI as part of the protest investigation
- 39 individuals charged linked to the January 2026 protest
- 2 years of customer data requested by subpoena (2024-2026)
Yes, but: The outcome of whether REI complied with the subpoena and the legal resolution of charges against those arrested remain unclear.
What's next: Potential legal challenges to the use of 1509 customs summonses for domestic investigations could emerge, along with scrutiny of privacy protections for corporate-held data.