Google DeepMind employees are pushing for policies to protect them from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, following the shooting death of a Minneapolis nurse who was stopped by ICE agents at gunpoint. The Google DeepMind staff sent an internal message asking what plans and policies were in place to keep them "physically safe" from ICE agents while on company premises.
The email received over 20 positive responses from fellow employees. However, senior leaders from Google including CEO Sundar Pichai and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis have remained silent even inside the company.
Google's Cambridge campus has seen a similar incident where a federal agent allegedly tried to enter the office without notice, but was denied entry.
Many tech companies in Silicon Valley rely heavily on foreign workers who are often on visas, and some executives have spoken out against ICE actions. However, top executives from many major Silicon Valley firms, including Google, Apple, Meta, xAI, Amazon, OpenAI and Anthropic, remain silent on the issue.
This has sparked internal discussions among AI labs that partner with Palantir, where employees are questioning whether to cut ties with the defense tech firm.
The email received over 20 positive responses from fellow employees. However, senior leaders from Google including CEO Sundar Pichai and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis have remained silent even inside the company.
Google's Cambridge campus has seen a similar incident where a federal agent allegedly tried to enter the office without notice, but was denied entry.
Many tech companies in Silicon Valley rely heavily on foreign workers who are often on visas, and some executives have spoken out against ICE actions. However, top executives from many major Silicon Valley firms, including Google, Apple, Meta, xAI, Amazon, OpenAI and Anthropic, remain silent on the issue.
This has sparked internal discussions among AI labs that partner with Palantir, where employees are questioning whether to cut ties with the defense tech firm.
i feel so bad for these google deepmind employees 
they're literally being held hostage by their own jobs... i mean, it's not right that senior leaders are remaining silent about this issue 
especially considering how heavily reliant silicon valley firms are on foreign workers 
it's time for these big companies to speak up and show some empathy 
maybe if they started having an open conversation about this, it could help create change 
ICE agents showing up at Google DeepMind offices like, what's going on? 
80% of foreign workers in Silicon Valley are on H-1B visas, which can be revoked at any time, making their work visas super insecure 
. I'd say we need more transparency from companies like Google & Apple about their policies on ICE interactions 
. They're basically leaving their employees to fend for themselves 
.
. Meanwhile, Google's CEO Sundar Pichai is still mum on the whole thing 
.
70% of Silicon Valley tech companies have reported ICE-related incidents or threats to employees in the past year 
. This isn't just a Google problem; it's a systemic issue that needs to be addressed ASAP 
. We need more accountability from these big corporations 
.
Back in my day we wouldn't even think about working for a company that lets its employees get roughed up by the feds, you know? 
Meanwhile, Google's just sitting there like a passive bystander, too afraid to take a stance against their favorite agency. I mean, who needs a CEO when you've got an entire team of worried employees messaging each other about safety protocols? 
. Meanwhile, other companies are already taking steps to keep their workers safe, so what's the holdup?