Operation Whistle Pig: Inside the secret CBP unit with no rules

I think a key quote from the CBP agent is:

> “When a name comes across your desk you run it through every system you have access to, that's just status quo, that's what everyone does,” Rambo told investigators.

I suspect this to be generally true from the lowest local law enforcement officers to the highest levels of intelligence officers. And it is a major concern of having systems like PRISM available for use -- I generally don't see purely paperwork/purely legal process protections like "oh it requires a warrant" actually preventing LEO's from using these systems.

Something like Google's or Facebook's (current-day) systems which make it impossible for individual employees to search through private information might be more appropriate, but I generally wouldn't trust implementations of these in the government.

Customs and Border Protection

> That afternoon, Rambo reached out to Watkins using the address jackbentleyesq@gmail.com, which he later described as an “off network” account sanctioned by the Counter Network Division.

That is actually a felony under many state laws, and could be a crime under federal law too.