Federal civilian agencies are required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to cease purchasing DeepSeek goods and to remove associated technologies from their IT systems. Products from Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd., its affiliates, and third-party goods and services created using DeepSeek implementations are all covered by the action.Look for Police Jobs
On October 19, 2026, the notice was submitted for public review, and on October 20, it was supposed to be published. Instead of outlawing private usage countrywide, it imposes restrictions on the government’s supply chain. This injunction does not forbid companies or individuals from utilizing DeepSeek.
Two requirements are outlined in the DHS notification. DeepSeek and related IT goods and services cannot be purchased by federal civilian agencies. Additionally, they have to take DeepSeek and affiliate goods out of agency technology systems, including covered third-party implementations. The order is more expansive than a ban on new acquisitions because of the second criteria.
For security teams, the third-party supply is particularly crucial. Instead of using an application with the DeepSeek name, an agency may DeepSeek through another source. Therefore, an evaluation that is restricted to branded chat tools may overlook goods that are subject to the removal requirement. Agencies must determine what drives their current AI services.
DHS Restricts DeepSeek in Federal Procurement
The notice does not provide a public list of every affected third-party vendor or product. Suppliers and agency buyers will need to assess whether particular tools use DeepSeek implementations, rather than assuming that a different product name places them outside the order. Contract records and technical documentation can help support that review.
For vendors serving civilian agencies, the order also raises a direct procurement question. They must understand whether their own AI features depend on technology that government customers must now exclude or remove.
DHS cites the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018, along with its implementing rules, as the legal basis. The department says the secretary acted after reviewing a recommendation from the Federal Acquisition Security Council and supporting evidence. The notice identifies affiliates through the definition in federal acquisition regulations at 48 CFR 2.101.
DeepSeek Ban Highlights AI Supply Chain Risks
AI is addressed as a supply chain problem in this activity. The concern for organizations is no longer only whether employees should submit confidential information or if a chatbot provides truthful replies. Additionally, they need to be aware of the businesses and underlying technology that enable the software that they purchase, install, and link to government systems.
An important distinction is that a public report verifying a federal data breach is not the same as an exclusion and removal order. The released warning does not identify stolen government material, explain a specific penetration, or prove that information has spilled from every DeepSeek deployment. The restriction alone should not be used to infer such statements.
Additionally, agencies should maintain an accurate record of what they discovered, the vendors they contacted, and the items they replaced or deleted. Because workers do not utilize DeepSeek’s public chatbot, that documentation can assist differentiate a completed evaluation from a belief that no DeepSeek technology exists.Locate Government Offices
The signed order in docket DHS-2026-0628 on Regulations.gov is the point of contact for the Order Implementation Team, according to the DHS announcement. For specific implementation provisions, agencies should refer to the signed document. Finding covered technology throughout the whole software supply chain, including goods marketed under a different company’s name, is the main security problem.
