By Trendsetter Tribune 
More than 900 Google employees have signed an open letter calling on the company to terminate its contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The letter, released on February 6, 2026, marks one of the most significant internal uprisings at Alphabet Inc. in years, fueled by a series of fatal shootings involving federal agents.
“Powering a Campaign of Violence”
The letter explicitly links Google’s technology to recent tragedies that have sparked a national “ICE Out” protest movement. Workers expressed “horror” at Google’s alleged role in enabling these agencies:
- The Incidents: The letter cites the recent killings of Keith Porter Jr. (shot by an off-duty agent in LA on New Year’s Eve), Renee Good (killed in Minneapolis), and Alex Pretti (a nurse killed while observing federal agents in Minneapolis).
- Tech Involvement: Employees allege that Google Cloud supports CBP surveillance and powers Palantir’s “ImmigrationOS,” a system used by ICE for tracking and data integration.
- The Ethical Line: Workers are demanding an emergency internal Q&A and a full disclosure of all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and military contracts.
Internal Tension: Jeff Dean vs. Leadership
The protest is amplified by a rare public split within Google’s own leadership. While CEO Sundar Pichai and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis have remained largely silent, Google Chief Scientist Jeff Dean has been vocal:
- The Quote: Dean recently posted on X that the footage of Alex Pretti’s killing was “absolutely shameful” and urged that everyone, regardless of politics, should denounce the violence.
- The Employee Call: Workers used Dean’s own words in the letter, reminding leadership of their “collective responsibility to speak up and not be silent.”
Growing Demands and Corporate Safety
Beyond divestment, the letter raises concerns about the physical safety of Google employees following reports of federal agents attempting to enter company premises.
| Demand | Description |
| Safety Measures | Calls for flexible work-from-home policies and legal immigration support for at-risk employees. |
| Office Security | Follows a reported incident where a federal agent attempted to enter Google’s Cambridge office without a warrant last fall. |
| Transparency | Demands a “line in the sand” regarding which government agencies are permitted to use Google’s generative AI tools. |
The Corporate Response
A Google spokesperson told POLITICO that immigration officials use “commercially available cloud services” that are accessible to any customer. As of today, February 7, the company has not committed to ending its government partnerships or hosting the requested town hall.
The unrest at Google mirrors similar movements at Amazon, Meta, and Spotify, where workers are increasingly pressuring CEOs to distance their companies from the current administration’s immigration enforcement strategies.