Students Protest Palantir Multi-Million Contracts with ICE
On Tuesday, students from nearly 16 higher education institutions rallied on their respective campuses against the contracts between Palantir and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to a VICE News report.
Palantir, a data analytics company, recruits students from various campuses nationwide. It renewed a $42 million contract with ICE earlier this year, which allows its agents to access the Investigative Case Management system.
The protesting students under the banner of #NoTechForICE demanded their university leadership to cut ties with the company.
“Palantir has two multi-million dollar contracts with ICE that support the agency in its harsh crackdown on immigrants through the deportation & separation of families,” Yale Asian American Students Alliance – AASA said in a statement on Facebook.
CMU students are clear. We will NOT be using our tech/design/business skills to support ICE's unjust & violent immigrant deportations & detention.
• Palantir, drop your ICE contracts before Nov 27 renewal
• CMU, stop inviting pro-ICE companies & recruiters#NoTechForICE pic.twitter.com/SILnbuZ3BU— Maggie Oates (@oatesmeal) November 19, 2019
“Yale students and faculty must pledge not to work at or work with Palantir while it continues doing business with ICE. We must also demand that Palantir cancel the contracts that allow them to profit from the abuse of human rights.”
The demand from university communities gained momentum after immigrant children were separated from their families following Attorney General Jeff Sessions announcement for a zero-tolerance policy for people entering the U.S. illegally in April 2018. The move drew sharp criticism from different quarters across the country.
The students are also demanding Palantir to drop FALCON contract with ICE that is due for renewal on November 27.
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