DHS Orders DeepSeek Removed From Federal Agencies

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DeepSeek federal ban depicted as a whale blocked by a Capitol gate

By NewSunSEO October 21, 2026

Federal civilian agencies must remove DeepSeek products and third-party services built with its models, and they can no longer purchase DeepSeek technology. The Department of Homeland Security issued the order after the Federal Acquisition Security Council reviewed the company’s products and services.

What did DHS order federal agencies to do?

The order requires every federal civilian agency information technology system to remove products affiliated with DeepSeek. Its scope includes third-party services developed using DeepSeek technology, rather than limiting the requirement to the company’s own app.

Agencies are also prohibited from buying DeepSeek products or services. The Federal Register notice was published on October 20, 2026, as document 2026-21447, under docket number DHS-2026-0628. It appears at 91 FR 66346 and spans pages 66346 through 66350. The notice says the action applies to federal civilian executive branch information technology systems and procurements.

Why did DHS act?

DHS said DeepSeek’s models create security risks for government systems. The agency warned that the models could give the Chinese Communist Party access to American government infrastructure, track or digitally identify users, and transfer sensitive data to China when used by U.S. government agencies or vendors.

The department based the order on the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018. The law is part of the federal framework for managing supply-chain risks in government procurement, and the Federal Acquisition Security Council reviewed the matter before DHS acted.

The order also reflects a broader sequence of restrictions. The Commerce Department banned DeepSeek from government devices, the U.S. Navy told members not to use the model because of potential security concerns, and New York State prohibited the app on government devices and networks over data privacy and censorship concerns.

Why did DeepSeek attract government scrutiny?

DeepSeek became widely known in 2025 after millions of Americans downloaded its free app. The attention followed the release of its R1 model, which the source says was trained using less powerful chips and at a fraction of the cost of some competing models.

R1 outperformed models from OpenAI and Anthropic on several complex tests, according to the source article. Its performance drew attention from lawmakers and security officials while the company’s data practices raised concerns among government users.

The source article reports that DeepSeek did not place in the top 10 of a recent government survey measuring opinions of AI models. That survey result did not prevent the company’s app from reaching a large American audience, which prompted renewed discussion about possible restrictions.

What does the order cover?

The requirement reaches products affiliated with DeepSeek and third-party services developed using the company’s models. The distinction matters for agencies because a contractor or software provider could incorporate DeepSeek technology into a service without presenting the product as a DeepSeek-branded application.

The order also applies to procurement decisions. Civilian agencies may not purchase DeepSeek products or services after the order takes effect, while existing products covered by the removal requirement must be removed from agency information technology systems.

The Federal Register notice provides the formal government publication and docket details. The official notice is the relevant source for the order’s legal scope, while the source article provides the broader context about DeepSeek’s R1 model, its 2025 app downloads and the earlier restrictions announced by federal and state authorities.

What is DeepSeek’s latest model?

DeepSeek recently released V4.1 Flash-1017. The source article says the upgraded model was designed for faster performance and improved reasoning and coding capabilities. Early reports suggested that it could compete with some of the most advanced American AI systems, but the article does not provide independent test results for V4.1 Flash-1017.

For organizations reviewing their technology policies, the order’s practical focus is procurement and removal. Agencies need to identify DeepSeek products, including indirectly connected third-party services, and prevent new purchases covered by the restriction.

FAQ

What did DHS order regarding DeepSeek?

DHS ordered all federal civilian agencies to remove products affiliated with DeepSeek from their information technology systems, including third-party services developed using the company’s models. The order also prohibits future purchases of DeepSeek products and services.

Why is DHS concerned about DeepSeek?

DHS said DeepSeek’s models could give the Chinese Communist Party access to American government infrastructure, track or digitally fingerprint users, and transfer sensitive data to China when used by government agencies or vendors.

What law did DHS cite for the DeepSeek order?

DHS cited the 2018 Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act after the Federal Acquisition Security Council reviewed the matter.

This article reports on publicly available information from the sources listed below. We have no reason to believe it is inaccurate, but we have not independently verified every claim, and details may change as the story develops.