The Department of Homeland Security has ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their information-technology systems, widening a federal crackdown on the Chinese artificial-intelligence company over data-security concerns. The directive, filed Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, covers products affiliated with Beijing-based DeepSeek, including third-party services built using its models. Agencies are also barred from entering contracts for DeepSeek products and services. DHS said the company’s models “present multiple threat vectors” and warned that using them could transfer sensitive data to the People’s Republic of China when accessed by government employees or contractors. The notice cites a potential risk; it does not say that a data transfer has occurred. The order builds on earlier restrictions. The Commerce Department barred DeepSeek from government devices in 2025, and the Navy instructed its personnel that year not to use the technology, citing security concerns. DeepSeek’s open-weight models have drawn attention for competing with leading U.S. systems at lower cost, while federal agencies have also targeted Chinese AI firms over alleged efforts to extract capabilities from American models.