A group calling itself the “Department of Peace” obtained records on more than 41,000 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees and contractors, and the transparency nonprofit Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoSecrets) published them on Oct. 28, 2026 [2]. According to Wired, the files include members of internal groups tied to wiretap programs, Palantir software and xAI’s Grok chatbot [1]. Four days later, a federal judge threw out a Justice Department (DOJ) lawsuit that sought to block certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race if the Republican incumbent loses [6].
Meanwhile, the artificial intelligence (AI) industry’s super PACs pulled back from the contested races that will decide control of Congress [8].
This week’s throughline: the fights over who gets to see government data, and who gets to shape elections, moved from policy debates into courtrooms, takedown notices and campaign finance filings.
Palan-Review
Who gets to know who works for DHS?
What happened. The leaked data includes names, phone numbers and email addresses of employees at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Homeland Security Investigations and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) [2]. More than 21,000 of the people listed work for CBP, and about 6,600 work for ICE [2]. Job titles and email groups show which agents were assigned to special operations, surveillance, computer forensics and undercover work [2].
Reuters, in reporting carried by The Guardian, said it could not verify the entire trove but matched details for several employees against other records [2]. DDoSecrets co-founder Emma Best said the data came from the Okta sign-on service DHS uses; Okta said it has “no evidence our data or systems were compromised” [2].
On Oct. 29, ZeroFox, a company authorized by ICE to pursue content removal, asked Icelandic host FlokiNET to take the data down [3]. FlokiNET’s CEO, Kolja Weber, refused, saying the files hold work addresses and work phone numbers, not personal ones [3]. Bluesky is blocking links to the archive and labels them “malicious,” while X’s Grok chatbot pointed users to a searchable version [4].
Why it matters. The release came as DHS has sought to unmask critics online and obtain records on protesters and journalists, while defending its own agents’ right to hide their identities [2]. Wired reported that the files appear in some cases to show who has access to certain technologies [4].
The other side. DHS’s takedown request said the database “places more than 40,000 identifiable individuals at risk of harassment, stalking and physical harm” [3]. Bluesky said the files share contact information “without their authorization,” in violation of its guidelines [4]. The outlets disagree on how sensitive the data is: Wired’s summary cites workers’ cell phone numbers [1], while one expert told Wired that a preview held work contact details of the kind printed “on a business card” [4].
Open questions.
Should the public be able to see which agents hold access to surveillance tools like Palantir’s?
If DHS uses other agencies’ data on immigrants, does it have standing to object when its own staff data is exposed?
Where is the line between accountability and doxxing?
Can the federal government stop a state from certifying a Senate race?
What happened. DOJ sued Alaska less than two weeks before Election Day, citing possible “voter confusion” because two candidates named Dan Sullivan are on the ballot [5]. It asked for an investigation into whether votes for retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan were meant for Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska [6]. On Nov. 1, U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the case, calling the relief “infeasible” because many voters had already cast ballots [6].
Gleason wrote that segregating those ballots so voters “can be further investigated by law enforcement is not a remedy that this Court can or should order,” citing Alaskans’ right to a secret ballot [7]. DOJ filed notice of appeal within hours [6][7]. Sen. Sullivan told CNN he would accept the results [5].
Why it matters. Voting rights experts called the lawsuit an “unprecedented intervention” by the federal government with control of Congress at stake [5]. Gleason wrote that the requests concern the time, place and manner of Alaska’s election, “which are the responsibilities of the State, not the executive branch of the federal government” [7].
The other side. DOJ said “Alaskan voters deserve a fair election, not to be misled in an attempt to rig outcomes” [6]. It also said the judge ruled on procedural grounds and did not dispute that Dan J. Sullivan entered the race “as a frivolous candidate to confuse voters” [6]. A New York Times investigation reported that aides to Democrat Mary Peltola recruited the second Sullivan; Peltola has denied knowing about any such effort [5].
Open questions.
If a ballot trick did happen, who should police it: state courts, voters or federal prosecutors?
What does it mean that DOJ tried to investigate how specific people voted?
Does this case set up a template for challenges in other close races?
Did the AI industry decide its money is a liability?
What happened. AI super PAC networks spent $50.7 million in the primaries, including $21.3 million for or against a single candidate, New York Assembly member Alex Bores [8]. Since then, an Intercept analysis of Federal Election Commission records found only 5% of their direct spending has gone to contested general election races [8]. Leading the Future, backed by OpenAI’s president and its investors, had spent $7.4 million on general election races as of Oct. 26 while holding $34 million in cash [8].
The San Francisco Standard reported that Leading the Future launched with $100 million in pledges and is now sitting on its cash as donors leave [9].
Why it matters. Public Citizen’s Rick Claypool told The Intercept the companies “underestimated how much the public despises the data center buildout” [8]. Bores, who lost his primary, said the industry’s spending “really served to elevate the issue of AI” [8].
The other side. Leading the Future did not respond to The Intercept [8]. Public First, the rival network funded in part by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, said it still backs “strong advocates for AI regulation” [8]. Leading the Future’s only competitive general election spending backs Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who faces a fierce Democratic challenge [8].
Open questions.
Is AI money now a liability for candidates who take it?
Does quiet spending in safe seats buy more influence than loud spending in swing races?
“Requiring the segregation of ballots cast by voters for Daniel J. Sullivan so that these voters can be further investigated by law enforcement is not a remedy that this Court can or should order.” — U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason [7]
Watch next week
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Alaska’s ranked-choice Senate race and nationwide [6].
DOJ’s appeal of the Alaska ruling [7].
Alaska’s Republican governor has ordered an investigation and suggested he may not certify a possible Peltola victory [6].
Key Takeaways
A leak naming 41,000 DHS workers includes groups tied to Palantir and Grok, and DHS is trying to get it offline [1][3].
A federal judge said DOJ cannot force Alaska to set aside ballots so voters can be investigated, and DOJ is appealing [7].
AI super PACs spent heavily in primaries but have largely stayed out of competitive general election races [8].
Orgs and Concepts Mentioned
Organizations/Programs
Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoSecrets): transparency nonprofit that published the DHS records [2].
ZeroFox: company authorized by ICE to pursue content removal [3].
Leading the Future / Public First: rival AI super PAC networks; Public First says it supports tighter regulation [8].
Concepts/Terms
Purcell principle: the Supreme Court doctrine that federal courts generally should not change election rules close to an election [6].
Ranked-choice voting: a system that lets voters rank more than one candidate, used in Alaska [7].
What you can do: If you vote in Alaska or anywhere else, check your polling place and cast your ballot by Nov. 3.
Related reading
This Week in Palantalk: ICE’s $100 Million Intelligence Network, the Voter-Data Fight & More
Weekly Roundup: DHS appointees asked CISA to secretly hack a voting machine, and more
Palantalk - where we talk tech, no fascism.
Sources
Wired — Massive Leak Exposes 41,000 Homeland Security Workers—Including Undercover ICE Agents. By Dhruv Mehrotra, Maddy Varner, Dell Cameron, published Oct 28, 2026
The Guardian — Non-profit group leaks data of more than 40,000 homeland security workers. By Reuters, published Oct 28, 2026, updated Oct 29, 2026
The Guardian — DHS cites risk to more than 40,000 personnel in effort to take leaked data offline. By Maanvi Singh and agencies, published Oct 29, 2026, updated Oct 30, 2026
Wired — Bluesky Is Blocking Links to a Major Leak of DHS Employee Records. By Dhruv Mehrotra, Maddy Varner, Dell Cameron, published Oct 29, 2026
The Guardian — Judge dismisses Trump attempt to block Alaska Senate race results if Republican loses. By Chris Hippensteel, published Nov 1, 2026
PBS NewsHour — Judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska Senate race if GOP incumbent loses. By Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press, published Nov 1, 2026
Democracy Docket — DOJ asks appeals court to greenlight effort to overturn Alaska’s election result. By Matt Cohen, published Nov 1, 2026
The Intercept — AI Tried to Buy the Midterms — Then the Lobby Learned Everyone Hates AI. By Matt Sledge, published Oct 29, 2026
sfstandard.com — Losing donors and under fire, AI industry super PAC retreats. By Emily Shugerman, Dustin Gardiner, published Oct 31, 2026 (Subscription)
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Nick you got my attention
ICE Agents Hid Behind Masks Under Trump. Europeans Published Their Names Online.
A Swiss hacker posted 41,191 Homeland Security records on the internet Wednesday. Washington answered with takedown notices. Europe answered with a search engine.
Distributed Denial of Secrets, a non-profit that specializes in publishing, archiving and analyzing leaked and hacked datasets, put the files out. The set covers more than 41,000 Homeland Security employees and contractors. Names. Titles. Work emails. Phone numbers. Office locations. Who answers to whom. Which internal groups they belong to. The archive is called Icepick.