French tech giant Capgemini has announced that it will immediately sever ties with its US-based subsidiary Capgemini Government Solutions after mounting pressure over its involvement in a multimillion-dollar contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The decision comes as the company faces intense scrutiny over its work with the agency, which includes a new surveillance program aimed at tracking down 50,000 immigrants per month.
The ICE program, awarded to Capgemini Government Solutions as part of a larger contract worth over $1 billion by the end of next year, has raised significant concerns among critics. The company was designated as lead contractor for the "skip-tracing" program, which involves using technology systems and physical surveillance to locate individuals. Critics have accused ICE of using this method in an attempt to intimidate and harass immigrants.
Capgemini Government Solutions, with its headquarters in Virginia, had been working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for over 15 years, according to CEO Aiman Ezzat. However, following mounting pressure from union workers, government officials, and anti-ICE protesters in France, an independent board of directors reviewed the contract and deemed that the company could not exercise control over certain aspects of its operations due to "customary legal restrictions."
The decision has significant implications for Capgemini's relationship with the US government and comes at a time of heightened tensions between France and the United States. Protests against companies that aid ICE have become increasingly common, with anti-ICE protesters organizing nationwide general strikes and boycotts in several countries. The French government has also taken steps to restrict the use of American technology in government spaces.
In a statement, Capgemini cited "questions" raised by public sources about its involvement in the contract as the reason for the decision. The company's move is seen as a response to growing anti-ICE sentiment and pressure from critics to sever ties with the agency.
The ICE program, awarded to Capgemini Government Solutions as part of a larger contract worth over $1 billion by the end of next year, has raised significant concerns among critics. The company was designated as lead contractor for the "skip-tracing" program, which involves using technology systems and physical surveillance to locate individuals. Critics have accused ICE of using this method in an attempt to intimidate and harass immigrants.
Capgemini Government Solutions, with its headquarters in Virginia, had been working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for over 15 years, according to CEO Aiman Ezzat. However, following mounting pressure from union workers, government officials, and anti-ICE protesters in France, an independent board of directors reviewed the contract and deemed that the company could not exercise control over certain aspects of its operations due to "customary legal restrictions."
The decision has significant implications for Capgemini's relationship with the US government and comes at a time of heightened tensions between France and the United States. Protests against companies that aid ICE have become increasingly common, with anti-ICE protesters organizing nationwide general strikes and boycotts in several countries. The French government has also taken steps to restrict the use of American technology in government spaces.
In a statement, Capgemini cited "questions" raised by public sources about its involvement in the contract as the reason for the decision. The company's move is seen as a response to growing anti-ICE sentiment and pressure from critics to sever ties with the agency.
. It's crazy how sensitive companies are getting about being associated with ICE, especially when you consider they've been working with DHS for years without any major issues before. Guess that's just the times we're living in now - everyone's an activist 
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Maybe they were getting too cozy with the US government and needed to distance themselves from the whole ICE mess. And what about all these protests against companies that aid ICE? It's like, what's really going on here? 
Are they just trying to silence critics or is there something more sinister at play? I'm not buying it 
. The government's always got their hand in every pie, and this just smells like another example of that... 
capgemini was working with ice and now they're like outta there 
no wonder protests against companies that aid ice have been getting more & more intense 
it's crazy how one company's decision can impact so many people 
especially immigrants who are already vulnerable 
i'm so proud of those anti-ice protesters for standing up for what's right 
and i hope other companies take note of the pressure they're under to do what's right 
. And I don't really understand this whole "customary legal restrictions" thing - sounds like some fancy lawyer jargon 
. Wait, does that mean the French government is trying to stop American companies from helping ICE? Like, what's going on with all these protests and boycotts? How many people are actually protesting against Capgemini specifically? Are they getting a lot of support from their union workers or whatever? I wish I could just watch some YouTube vids about this and get it 
.
. I mean, what's next? Companies selling out their customers for a few bucks? 
. We've got to think about who we're working with and what kind of impact our work has on people's lives 
. I mean, 50,000 immigrants per month? That's just a recipe for disaster 
. And now that Capgemini is out, it'll be interesting to see how the government finds someone else to handle the contract 
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I'm not surprised that protests against companies aiding ICE are getting more common, though. It's like, we're living in a world where surveillance and immigration policies can be pretty grey areas... 
But at the same time, I wonder what this says about our society when companies are so quick to jump ship in the face of public pressure... 
. Like, show 'em who's boss! It's not like they're going to be bullied around by the US government 
. Protests and boycotts are always a great way to make your voice heard 
. We need more companies like Capgemini standing up for what's right and speaking out against injustice 
.
I mean, can you blame them? It's like they're saying "nope, we don't wanna be part of this toxic ICE program" 
But seriously, it's a big deal for Capgemini and their reputation in the US 
. They must've had some serious doubts about the morality of the project, especially with all that surveillance stuff 
. It's time for these companies to think about the consequences of their actions, you know? The fact that it was only because of pressure from protesters and union workers in France 
What even is the point of that?
their involvement in that ice contract is straight up messed up. all those protesters & union workers making noise must've made a difference 
. I'm so down for the French government taking steps to restrict the use of American tech in gov spaces - we need more countries speaking out against this kind of thing! And yeah, the whole protest movement is getting stronger and stronger, which is amazing to see 
. Companies like Capgemini are starting to realize that they have a responsibility to act with integrity, not just chase a contract. I'm so proud of them for taking a stand!