DHS now needs warrant for stingray use, but not when protecting president

(credit: Thomas Hawk)

As expected, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released its own stingray requirements. Agents must now obtain a warrant prior to deploying the secretive surveillance tool as part of criminal investigations. This new policy comes over a month after the Department of Justice released its own similarly policy.

The new rules will apply to DHS, as well as agencies that fall under its umbrella, such as the Secret Service, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

During a Congressional hearing on stingrays Wednesday, a top DHS official said that the Secret Service uses this as part of its "protective mission"—making sure the president and other dignitaries are not assassinated. That’s believed to be the first time the Secret Service has explicitly acknowledged its use of the devices.

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