The Department of Homeland Security has demanded that Google surrender data on a Canadian citizen's online activity and location information following posts critical of U.S. immigration enforcement, according to reports.

The action targeted a Canadian man who has not entered the United States in more than a decade, following posts he made on the social media platform X condemning the killings of individuals identified as Renee Good and Alex Pretti in connection with Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities.

DHS officials utilized provisions from a 1930s-era trade law to make the data request to Google, marking an unusual application of decades-old legislation for digital surveillance purposes. The specific trade law cited and the legal justification for applying it to social media activity conducted by a foreign national outside U.S. borders were not immediately detailed in available reports.

The case raises questions about the scope of U.S. government authority to monitor foreign nationals' online activities, particularly when those individuals express criticism of American government policies while residing outside the United States. Legal experts have not yet weighed in publicly on the precedential implications of using trade legislation for social media surveillance.

Google's response to the DHS request and whether the company complied with the demand for user data remains unclear. The technology company has not issued a public statement regarding the matter.