Over 900 Google Employees Sign Petition Asking Company to End Relationship with ICE

Google Employees Demand End to Partnerships with Immigration Agencies

Over 900 employees at Google have signed an open letter urging the company to sever its ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This action comes as concerns grow about the role that technology firms play in supporting government immigration efforts.

The letter expresses the employees’ outrage, stating they are “appalled by the violence” and “horrified” by Google’s involvement in operations related to ICE. They accuse the company of facilitating a campaign that aligns with surveillance and oppression through its technology services.

Employees pointed out that Google Cloud provides support for CBP surveillance initiatives and powers the ImmigrationOS system utilized by ICE. Additionally, they highlighted that while Google’s generative AI is used by CBP, the Google Play Store prevents apps aimed at tracking ICE’s activities from being available.

In alignment with a statement from Jeff Dean, Google’s chief scientist, who emphasized the importance of addressing issues like recent events, the letter argues that this obligation extends to opposing collaborations with the Department of Homeland Security, CBP, and ICE.

“We firmly oppose Google’s partnership with DHS, CBP, and ICE,” the employees wrote. “It is the ethical and policy responsibility of our leadership to disclose all contracts with these agencies and to dissociate from them.”

The letter outlines a series of demands directed at Google’s leadership, including public acknowledgment of the risks to workers from ICE’s actions. Employees are requesting an emergency Q&A session concentrating on Google’s contracts with the DHS and military entities. They also propose implementing safety measures such as flexible work-from-home options and support services for immigration-related concerns.

There is a strong call for transparency regarding all of Google’s relationships with these agencies, with the belief that full disclosure can clarify the ethical boundaries of the company’s business practices.

“As workers of conscience, we call on our leaders to stop engaging in contracts that perpetuate violence against civilians,” the letter states. “Google has become a key player in a troubling history of private firms benefiting from state repression. We need to unite as a community and demand an end to the misuse of our workforce.”