900+ Google Workers Demand Company Cut Ties with Immigration Agencies

More than 900Google workers have drawn a line in the digital sand. In a scathing open letter, they're demanding their employer sever all ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) following recent enforcement deaths.

The letter doesn't mince words: "Google is powering this campaign of surveillance, violence, and repression." The employees cite the recent ICE-related deaths of Keith Porter, Renee Good, and Alex Pretti as the breaking point that compelled them to speak out.

The Hidden Tech Infrastructure of Immigration Enforcement

What many don't realize is how deeply Google's technology has become embedded in immigration enforcement. According to the letter, Google Cloud supports CBP surveillance systems and powers Palantir's ImmigrationOS platform used by ICE. Even Google's generative AI is being utilized by CBP operations.

The irony wasn't lost on the employees, who quoted Google Chief Scientist Jeff Dean's recent social media post about collective responsibility to "speak up and not be silent" when witnessing troubling events. They're essentially holding the company to its own stated values.

The workers aren't just asking for transparency—they want complete divestment. They're demanding Google disclose all contracts with the Department of Homeland Security, CBP, and ICE, then end these partnerships entirely.

When Employee Safety Meets Corporate Contracts

This isn't just about political principles. The employees are raising legitimate safety concerns, arguing that ICE poses direct threats to Google workers. They're requesting practical protections: flexible work-from-home policies, immigration support services, and emergency internal discussions about the company's government contracts.

"As workers of conscience, we demand that our leadership end our backslide into contracting for governments enacting violence against civilians," the letter states. It's a direct challenge to the notion that tech companies can remain politically neutral while their products enable controversial government actions.

A Growing Movement Across Big Tech

This Google letter follows similar employee activism at Amazon, Spotify, Meta, and other tech giants just two weeks prior. The pattern suggests a broader reckoning within the industry about corporate responsibility and worker agency in shaping company policies.

The timing is significant. As immigration enforcement intensifies, tech workers are increasingly unwilling to separate their labor from its societal impact. They're demanding a voice in how their innovations are deployed, especially when those deployments involve life-and-death situations.