Overview
- CBP detained all of Andrew and Tristan Tate’s electronic devices upon their February arrival in Fort Lauderdale and transferred them to Homeland Security Investigations, DHS confirmed.
- ProPublica reports that Paul Ingrassia, the White House’s DHS liaison and a former attorney for the Tates, sent a written request telling senior DHS officials to give the devices back and said the ask came from the White House.
- Current and former DHS officials described the request as alarming and highly irregular, with a retired HSI leader calling it an intimidation tactic.
- Ingrassia and his lawyer deny any intervention occurred, the Tates’ attorney says the devices have not been returned, and it remains unclear whether any U.S. investigation is ongoing.
- The brothers face criminal cases in Romania and the U.K., and Ingrassia recently withdrew from an OSC nomination over leaked racist texts before being named deputy general counsel at the GSA.