TLDR
- The US Department of Homeland Security has ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their IT systems.
- The order also covers DeepSeek affiliates and third-party products built using DeepSeek technology.
- Affected agencies are barred from making new purchases of DeepSeek products.
- DHS warned that sensitive information could be exposed to China and pointed to security flaws in DeepSeek’s iOS app.
- The restrictions took effect immediately when the order was published on Tuesday.
The US Department of Homeland Security has ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their IT systems. DeepSeek is a Chinese artificial intelligence company.
The order was filed for public inspection with the Federal Register on Monday. It took effect on Tuesday, when it was officially published.
The move extends earlier bans on DeepSeek that were already in place at several US government departments. Those earlier bans covered parts of the defense and security community.
What the DHS Order Covers
The order reaches beyond DeepSeek’s own products. It also applies to DeepSeek affiliates.
Third-party products and services that were developed using DeepSeek implementations are included as well. This means tools built on top of DeepSeek’s technology fall under the same rules.
Federal civilian agencies covered by the order must remove these products from their IT systems. They are also prohibited from making any new purchases of them.
The order applies to the systems used by these agencies. It sets clear limits on both current use and future buying.
Security Concerns Behind the Ban
DHS said that use of DeepSeek by government employees and contractors could expose sensitive information to China.
According to the department, this information could include details about US citizens. It could also reveal information about federal programs.
DHS also pointed to security vulnerabilities that were identified in DeepSeek’s iOS application. The iOS app is the version of DeepSeek that runs on Apple iPhones and iPads.
The order did not include a delay before the rules applied. The restrictions took effect as soon as the document was published.
The new order builds on earlier restrictions placed on DeepSeek by the US government. The Commerce Department had already banned the company’s products within its own systems.
Portions of the US defense, security and intelligence community also have bans in place. The DHS order now brings similar rules to federal civilian agencies.
The restrictions come during ongoing competition between Washington and Beijing. The two countries are competing for leadership in artificial intelligence.
The United States is not the only country to take this step. Australia banned DeepSeek products from its government systems and devices in February 2025.
The latest US order is now in force across federal civilian agency IT systems. Since its publication on Tuesday, affected agencies must remove DeepSeek products and may not buy new ones.
