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WASHINGTON, DC, United States (AP) - The Associated Press sought answers Monday from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on its use of sensitive Government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter.In a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, AP Executive Editor Julie Pace urged the agency to explain why the name of Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Martha Mendoza was run through the databases and identified as a potential confidential informant during the Trump Administration, as detailed in a report by Homeland Security's inspector general."This is a flagrant example of a federal agency using its power to examine the contacts of journalists," Pace wrote. "While the actions detailed in the inspector general's report occurred under a previous Administration, the practices were described as routine."The DHS investigation of US journalists, as well as congressional staff and perhaps members of Congress, which was reported by Yahoo News and AP on Saturday. It represents the latest apparent example of an agency created in the wake of the 9/11 attacks using its vast capabilities to target American citizens.DHS prompted criticism from Congress and elsewhere in July 2020 when it deployed poorly or unidentified agents in military-style uniforms to sweep people off the streets of Portland, Oregon, and hustle them into unmarked cars during protests outside the federal courthouse in the city.This latest revelation prompted Senator Ron Wyden to call on DHS to immediately turn over the inspector general report to Congress."If multiple Government agencies were aware of this conduct and took no action to stop it, there needs to be serious consequences for every official involved, and DHS and the Justice Department must explain what actions they are taking to prevent this unacceptable conduct in the future," said Wyden, an Oregon Democrat who has long sought more oversight of Government surveillance.Representative Bennie Thompson, the Mississippi Democrat who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, said, "If true, this abuse of Government surveillance powers to target journalists, elected officials and their staff is deeply disturbing".CBP said in a statement over the weekend that its vetting and investigative practices are "strictly governed" and that the agency doesn't investigate without a legitimate and legal basis to do so.A DHS spokeswoman, Marsha Espinosa, said Monday that Mayorkas is "deeply committed to ensuring the protection of First Amendment rights" and has developed policies that "reflect this priority," thought she did not provide details."We do not condone the investigation of reporters in response to the exercise of First Amendment rights," she said. "CBP and every component agency and office in the Department will ensure their practices are consistent with our values and our highest standards."In the AP's letter, Pace called for "assurances that these improper practices and apparent abuse of power will not continue going forward."That would be in line with recent order from Attorney General Merrick Garland prohibiting the seizing of records of journalists in leak investigations. That followed an outcry over revelations that the Justice Department under former President Donald Trump had obtained records belonging to journalists, as well as Democratic members of Congress and their aides and a former White House counsel, Don McGahn.During the Obama Administration, federal investigators secretly seized phone records for some reporters and editors at the AP. Those seizures involved office and home lines as well as cellphones.The DHS inspector general report that revealed the most recent disclosure of investigations of journalists also stemmed from a Trump-era leak investigation.