Google is facing internal pressure over business ties to federal immigration enforcement agencies. Nearly 900 Google employees ICE petition signatories, demanded transparency from the Company leadership regarding government contracts.
Figure 1: A Google sign at one of the Company’s offices, as employees raise concerns over federal government contracts. [Wired]
The workers specifically oppose partnerships with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection. They say their technology should not power state violence.
Google Staff Protest ICE Partnerships With Open Letter
The Google employees ICE concerns intensified after federal agents shot two US citizens in Minneapolis in January 2026. Both incidents were captured on video and widely circulated online.
Alex, a seven-year Google veteran, spoke to reporters on 7 February 2026. He said he once felt proud working at the Company. “I was proud to be working at a company with a moral compass. I’m not proud anymore,” Alex stated.
Another employee, identified as “S”, joined Google three years ago. She said she would never have accepted the role had she known about federal contracts. “This is not the company I signed up to work for,” she explained.
The Google staff protest ICE operations organised by No Tech for Apartheid collected 880 signatures within 48 hours. Nearly 30 per cent of signatories work in Google Cloud divisions.
What Google Employees ICE Petition Demands From Leadership
The petition makes four key demands. First, workers want acknowledgement of safety concerns during immigration enforcement operations. Second, they demand an all-hands meeting about government contracts.
Third, Google employees ICE petition requests protection for all workers, including cafeteria staff and data centre employees. Fourth, they want full disclosure of Department of Homeland Security partnerships and clear boundaries on technology use.
Figure 2: The logo of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency at the centre of employee protests over technology partnerships. [U.S. Department of Homeland Security]
“We are Google workers appalled by the violence inflicted by United States Immigration & Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection,” the petition states. Workers describe themselves as “vehemently opposed” to these partnerships.
The Google staff protest ICE movement specifically calls for the Company to divest from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection contracts.
Google Ends ICE Contracts Demand Reflects Broader Tech Movement
The Google employees ICE petition follows an industry-wide letter published two weeks earlier. More than 1,000 workers from Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and other firms signed that document calling for similar action.
In 2018, thousands of employees pressured Google to abandon Project Maven. This Pentagon contract aimed to develop drone technology for military use. Google ultimately cancelled the agreement following sustained opposition.
In 2019, nearly 1,500 workers signed a petition demanding suspension of Customs and Border Protection contracts. They cited human rights abuses as justification.
A nationwide strike against Immigration and Customs Enforcement occurred on 31 January 2026. Activists protested the Minneapolis shootings. Some groups specifically called for technology company boycotts.
What Federal Contracts Does Google Hold?
Google provides cloud computing services to federal agencies through commercial contracts. A Company spokesperson confirmed Department of Homeland Security uses basic infrastructure services available to any customer.
Google also partnered with Lockheed Martin in 2025, deploying Gemini AI models. The Company maintains a partnership with Palantir Technologies, which provides systems to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
Figure 3: The headquarters of Lockheed Martin, a major US defence contractor that partners with technology firms on cloud and AI systems. [Bloomberg]
In October 2025, Google removed apps allowing users to report Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent sightings. Apple took similar action.
Industry Outlook: Technology Sector Federal Partnerships
The technology industry maintains billions of dollars in federal government contracts spanning cloud services and artificial intelligence. Major firms compete for Department of Defence and civilian agency partnerships worth hundreds of millions annually.
However, employee activism increasingly complicates these business relationships for consumer-facing technology brands. Public scrutiny over immigration enforcement creates reputational risks.
Google’s Response to Worker Demands
A Google spokesperson declined to comment on the petition’s demands. The spokesperson requested anonymity, citing safety concerns.
The Company has not announced plans to hold meetings addressing Google employees ICE concerns. Leadership has not disclosed the full extent of Department of Homeland Security partnerships.
Figure 4: Google CEO Sundar Pichai speaking at a Company event. [ABC News]
Google’s workforce stood at 190,820 employees as of end-2025. The 800-plus petition signatories represent a small fraction. However, rapid signature collection demonstrates significant internal opposition.
No Tech for Apartheid previously organised protests over Google’s $1.2 billion Israel government contract. Alphabet fired more than two dozen employees for physically impeding colleagues during those demonstrations.
Final Thoughts
The Google employees ICE petition reflects growing tension between workers and leadership over government partnerships. Whether Google ends ICE contracts or increases transparency remains uncertain.
The Company faces difficult choices balancing employee concerns, government relationships, and business interests. As immigration enforcement remains polarising, technology firms will likely continue facing pressure from workers and the public.
FAQs
Q1. How many Google employees signed the petition against ICE contracts?
Ans. Nearly 900 Google employees and contractors signed the open letter demanding transparency about Immigration and Customs Enforcement partnerships. The petition collected more than 880 signatures within 48 hours of publication on 7 February 2026.
Q2. What are the main demands of the Google staff protest ICE petition?
Ans. The petition makes four demands: acknowledge worker safety concerns, host a meeting about government contracts, protect all employees from immigration enforcement, and disclose all Department of Homeland Security partnerships.
Q3. Does Google have direct contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement?
Ans. Google provides cloud infrastructure services to the Department of Homeland Security agencies. The Company also partners with Palantir Technologies, which supplies technology to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
Q4. Has Google responded to the Google employees ICE petition?
Ans. A Google spokesperson declined to comment on the petition’s specific demands. The Company confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security uses basic cloud services available to any customer.
