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- Far from the early 2010s vision of Silicon Valley as a progressive, privacy-defending force, the recent developments show key tech companies actively enabling and expanding state power.
Far from the early 2010s vision of Silicon Valley as a progressive, privacy-defending force, the recent developments show key tech companies actively enabling and expanding state power.
Particularly through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The implications are vast: for civil liberties, democratic institutions, international relations and the global role of technology firms.
Pascal Hetzscholdt
October 17, 2025
Tech Titans and State Power — Salesforce, Facebook, and the Expansion of ICE Under Trump
by ChatGPT-4o
The latest revelations about Salesforce and Facebook’s cooperation with the Trump administration mark a chilling evolution in the relationship between Big Tech and the U.S. federal government. Far from the early 2010s vision of Silicon Valley as a progressive, privacy-defending force, the recent developments show key tech companies actively enabling and expanding state power—particularly through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The implications are vast: for civil liberties, democratic institutions, international relations, and the global role of technology firms.
Salesforce and the “Agentic Enterprise” for ICE
As detailed in internal documents obtained by The New York Times salesforce, Salesforce has proposed an aggressive artificial intelligence-driven strategy to help ICE “nearly triple its workforce”—a direct support of Trump’s campaign of mass deportations. A five-page internal memo lays out how Salesforce would use its “agentic enterprise” model—AI agents functioning with minimal human intervention—to optimize ICE’s recruitment, case handling, and data analysis. Slack messages show internal enthusiasm, with fire emojis and encouragement exchanged as the pitch was submitted.
This goes far beyond passive compliance. Salesforce is actively engineering solutions to scale up what critics deem a domestic paramilitary organization accused of racial profiling, secret arrests, and rights violations. The transformation of Marc Benioff—from Hillary Clinton fundraiser and homelessness advocate to Trump ally and enabler of ICE—is emblematic of a broader shift among Silicon Valley elites who now see alignment with authoritarian governance as a path to stable federal contracts.
Facebook’s Compliance: Silencing Resistance
At the same time, Facebook (Meta) removed a community group called “ICE Sighting–Chicagoland,” a grassroots platform for warning neighbors of ICE activity. Pressured by the Department of Justice and amplified by right-wing influencers like Laura Loomer, Facebook cited violations of its policy on “coordinated harm.” While the platform claimed this was about preventing doxxing, the underlying reality is clear: a powerful federal agency lobbied a global platform to suppress community resistance.
The DOJ’s framing of the group as a threat and its rhetoric about “radicals” inciting violence mimic authoritarian regimes more than liberal democracies. Meanwhile, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has become increasingly close to Trump, reinforcing the impression that cooperation with authoritarian tendencies is now incentivized in exchange for political favor and regulatory relief.
Who’s Next? Silicon Valley’s Expanding Authoritarian Toolkit
Salesforce and Facebook are not alone. Palantir has long supplied ICE with predictive policing tools. IBM and Microsoft hold government surveillance contracts. Apple has reportedly removed ICE-tracking apps from the App Store under pressure—echoing its earlier compliance with Beijing during the Hong Kong protests.
It is not hard to imagine how Google could be brought in to enhance facial recognition or geolocation services. Amazon Web Services could offer cloud infrastructure to manage the increasing data load from ICE’s operations. Oracle’s databases could be deployed for background checks and case prioritization. Even companies like Uber or Lyft could be asked—subtly or overtly—to share user data relevant to ICE enforcement zones.
The danger is not just the existence of such capabilities—it is their normalization. When state-led oppression becomes a growth market for Silicon Valley, profit incentives quickly override moral considerations.
What This Means for Society
Domestically, this collaboration between tech and government undercuts the idea of constitutional protections. It erodes trust in institutions and enables the further militarization of civic life. AI-driven surveillance and enforcement tools can operate with little transparency, undermining the principles of due process and privacy.
For immigrant communities and people of color, it heralds a future where automated suspicion replaces human discretion. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time—or simply fitting a “profile”—can lead to detention, interrogation, or deportation.
For society at large, it risks embedding authoritarian tendencies deep within the digital infrastructure of everyday life.
What Europe and Asia Must Do
Given the global reach of American tech giants, Europe and Asia must take proactive steps to insulate their societies from this dangerous fusion of private innovation and authoritarian policy. There are several strategic avenues:
1. Regulatory Firewalls
The EU’s Digital Services Act and AI Act must be enforced to explicitly prohibitalgorithmic profiling, predictive enforcement, and AI-powered surveillance of immigrants or minorities on EU soil.
Asian democracies like Japan, South Korea, and India must pass data localization and human rights–focused AI governance laws.
2. Procurement and Interoperability Restrictions
Governments and institutions should restrict public procurement of Salesforce, Meta, Palantir, and other firms complicit in ICE’s operations unless they demonstrate alignment with human rights standards.
Technical interoperability requirements can be shaped to prevent the use of tools like Salesforce’s AI agents for law enforcement or immigration control in foreign jurisdictions.
3. Invest in Domestic Alternatives
Europe and Asia should double down on sovereign AI ecosystems, funding public-interest tech platforms that offer CRM, cloud, and data analytics services without reliance on U.S. firms.
Strategic digital autonomy is no longer just about innovation—it is about democratic survival.
4. Cross-Border Digital Human Rights Alliances
A digital non-alignment movement may be needed: a coalition of democratic states agreeing not to allow their digital infrastructures to be used for state oppression, either domestically or abroad.
Conclusion: A Fork in the Road
The Salesforce and Facebook revelations are not isolated scandals—they are signposts on the road toward digital authoritarianism. As ICE is empowered with predictive AI, social media censorship, and real-time tracking tools, the ability to resist state overreach shrinks.
For tech firms, this moment is an ethical reckoning. For governments around the world, it is a call to action. The tools Silicon Valley builds can either be used to empower citizens or control them. The future depends on who holds the reins—and whether societies have the courage to say no when “innovation” is just a euphemism for oppression.
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Asking AI services: Tell me everything you know about Palantir Gotham, Europa and explain just how dependent Europe is on Palantir for its enforcement and intelligence work and analytics.