Twitter: US backs down on seeking anti-Trump user records

NEW YORK – Twitter says the U.S. government backed down on a request for records that could identify users behind an account opposed to President Donald Trump.

As a result, Twitter is withdrawing a federal lawsuit that challenged the government’s request. Twitter charged Thursday that efforts by the government to “unmask” the people behind the account violate the First Amendment.

The account in question is @ALT_uscis , a reference to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office. The account, which is frequently critical of Trump administration policy, described its users to The Associated Press in February as employees and former employees of the agency.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the immigration agency, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.