#NoTechForICE: Big Tech Companies, Like Microsoft, Should Drop Contracts with ICE
Fight for the Future was founded to fight for the free and open Internet, and ensure that technology is used to expand democracy, rather than further tyranny.
That’s why we defend net neutrality. That’s why we challenge mass surveillance.
Right now, some of the largest technology companies in the world are engaged in the ultimate hypocrisy: their CEOs are speaking out, saying they support human rights, while they’re quietly building and selling technology that the government is using to violate them.
Despite growing cross-partisan outcry over the government crackdown on immigrant families, behind our back many of these companies have major contracts with agencies like ICE:
- Microsoft’s contract with ICE is $19.4 million, to provide dangerous and invasive facial recognition software
- Dell’s contract is $22 million
- Motorola’s contract is $15 million
- Hewlett Packard Enterprises’ is $76 million
- Salesforce has a contract Border Patrol to make border activities “more efficient”
As you are reading this, there are children who have been taken away from their families. Kids are being detained in inhumane conditions. Infants are being put into “tender age” prisons just because their families are seeking asylum.
All of this is happening with the assistance of big technology companies, even as those same companies speak out against these practices.
Regardless of how you feel about the administration’s policies — this is a fundamental issue of basic civil liberties. These tech companies are building dangerous tools that help the government track and target people. That tech can just as easily be used to crack down on political dissidents, religious minorities, or anyone else the government wants to target.
This has to stop. And fortunately, pressure is already growing. Hundreds of Microsoft employees have called on the company to drop their contract with ICE and employees at Salesforce are asking the company to not work with Border Patrol.
Now it’s our turn to make noise and amplify.
You can take action by:
- Signing our petition to tell all tech companies: “Stop helping the government violate human rights. Drop the contracts with ICE and Border Patrol.”
- Tweeting something like this with a link to the petition: We demand that ALL big tech companies, like @Microsoft, to stop helping ICE and Border Patrol hurt kids: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-tech-companies-to-stop-helping-ice-hurt-kids?source=direct_link& #CanceltheContract #NoTechforICE
- Post our No Tech for ICE image on Instagram & Facebook using the hashtags #CanceltheContract #NoTechforICE. Don’t forget to post the petition link: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-tech-companies-to-stop-helping-ice-hurt-kids?source=direct_link&
Stay engaged with us on social media for next steps on this issue:
Facebook: Fight for the Future
Twitter: @fightfortheftr
Instagram: fightfortheftr
The power lies with us. If enough of us speak out, we can get all these companies to cut their ties with ICE and Border Patrol.
