- Google Cloud infrastructure reportedly supporting surveillance projects for CBP.
- Integration of Google technology within Palantir’s ImmigrationOS platform, a core system used by ICE to manage detention and deportation cases.
- Generative AI models supplied by Google that assist CBP analysts in processing large quantities of data.
- Decisions by the Google Play Store to block certain apps that help the public monitor ICE activity, which employees view as restricting transparency.
In the open letter, employees ask senior management to acknowledge what they describe as heightened safety risks for workers who themselves are immigrants or come from mixed-status families. They recommend immediate internal measures such as expanded remote-work flexibility, legal assistance for staff facing immigration issues and an emergency question-and-answer session to clarify the scope of Google’s contracts with homeland-security agencies.
The effort builds on previous worker-led campaigns challenging the company’s involvement in defense and law-enforcement projects. In 2018, internal opposition led Google to forgo renewal of Project Maven, a Pentagon initiative that used artificial intelligence to analyze drone footage. Employees say the current situation resembles that controversy and indicate a broader pattern of what they consider ethically troubling partnerships. They also point to a public statement issued in early January by Google’s chief scientist, who urged people not to remain silent in the face of injustice, as validation for speaking out now.
According to internal organizers, the letter was distributed during the first week of February. By the time it was reported in the press, more than 950 signatures had been collected, representing a cross-section of engineering, product management, user experience and sales teams. Google, contacted for comment, had not issued a formal response at the time of publication.
The call for divestment coincides with a broader movement across the technology sector. Two weeks earlier, employees from companies including Amazon, Meta and Spotify published their own joint statement demanding municipal governments bar ICE from local facilities. Labor advocacy groups say the parallel timing reflects rising unease among tech workers about the role of commercial platforms in federal immigration enforcement.
Industry analysts note that DHS agencies increasingly rely on private-sector cloud providers for data storage, analytics and artificial-intelligence applications. ICE and CBP combined account for billions of dollars in federal IT spending each year, a market that has attracted most large technology firms. Google’s public cloud division, while smaller than rivals Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, has pursued government contracts to expand its footprint. The company has stated in previous disclosures that its work with the public sector is subject to internal ethical guidelines, though details of those reviews are typically not released.
ICE declined to comment on the specific allegations raised by Google employees but has maintained that technology partnerships improve operational efficiency and public safety. CBP has similarly defended its use of commercial tools, saying advanced analytics help agents interdict contraband and identify security threats at the border. Civil-liberties organizations counter that the same systems facilitate large-scale surveillance of vulnerable communities, a contention reflected in recent reports from the American Civil Liberties Union.
The employee letter outlines four primary demands:
- Immediate disclosure of all active and pending contracts with ICE, CBP and other DHS components.
- Termination of existing agreements that provide cloud, artificial-intelligence or other technical services to those agencies.
- Implementation of workplace protections for staff members who could be affected by immigration enforcement.
- Institution of an open forum where leadership must address questions about the ethical limits of Google’s government work.
Organizers argue that the requested steps fall within the company’s publicly stated commitments to human rights and responsible AI. They add that transparency would allow rank-and-file employees, shareholders and customers to evaluate whether business objectives align with those principles. Some employees have signaled a willingness to escalate their protest should management decline to engage, though they have not detailed potential next actions.
While internal dissent can pressure firms to reconsider controversial contracts, analysts caution that unwinding government agreements could carry financial and legal implications. Contract termination fees, reputational considerations and competitive dynamics with other cloud providers all factor into corporate decision-making. Nevertheless, worker activism has already influenced policy at several technology companies in recent years, illustrating the growing leverage of internal stakeholder voices.
As of this writing, Google has not indicated whether it intends to disclose further contract information or modify its relationships with DHS agencies. Employees say they will continue to collect signatures and plan to present the letter formally to senior leadership within the coming weeks.
Crédito da imagem: Andrew Kelly
