NEW: ICE investigators issued a subpoena this week demanding BuzzFeed News identify its sources — an extraordinary attempt by the government to interfere with a news outlet acting under the protections of the First Amendment. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hamedaleaziz/ice-subpoena-buzzfeed-immigration-sources

The subpoena appears to be an escalation of the Trump administration’s efforts to track down the identities of people who provide information to news outlets.

"BuzzFeed News emphatically rejects any requests for information about possible sources and methods of our reporting,” said BuzzFeed News Editor-in-Chief Mark Schoofs.

“This is embarrassing for ICE. I think it is a weak effort to intimidate the press,” said John Sandweg, former acting director of the agency. “When you’re trying to intimidate the press, you cross a line. It is something that the agency should never do.”

The subpoena states that BuzzFeed News should produce the records to an ICE agent in Virginia by Dec. 22.

“Failure to comply with this summons will render you liable to proceedings in a U.S. District Court to enforce compliance with this summons as well as other sanctions."

“You are requested not to disclose the existence of this summons for an indefinite period of time. Any such disclosure will impede this investigation and thereby interfere with the enforcement of federal law," it also states.