ICE Updates Old Press Releases, Confusing Google Search Results

Archived ICE press releases from previous years appear as recent in Google search, raising concerns about misinformation and fear in immigrant communities.

Old ICE press releases have been updated with a January 24, 2025 timestamp, causing them to rank as recent in Google search results.
The updates include a banner marking the content as archived and outdated, but the new timestamp misleads search algorithms into prioritizing these pages.
The resurfaced press releases depict past immigration raids and arrests, some dating back to 2008, as if they occurred recently.
Experts suggest this tactic may amplify fear among immigrant communities, as it creates the illusion of widespread, current enforcement actions.
Google stated that its ranking systems reflect the last update of a webpage, but denied any intentional boosting of ICE content.