Google employees protest ICE contracts; new details emerge in agent-involved shooting

What You Need to Know

• Over 800 Google employees have signed a petition calling for the company to disclose and end contracts with ICE and CBP

• The protest follows fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in January

• An investigation into the shooting of Renee Good remains ongoing, with potential new evidence emerging

• The petition is one of the largest internal protests at a major tech company in response to immigration enforcement operations

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The Facts

On February 6, 2026, reports confirmed that more than 800 Google employees signed a petition demanding the company disclose and terminate all contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The petition was organized by the worker advocacy group No Tech for Apartheid.

The employee action follows the January shootings of two U.S. citizens: Renee Good and Alex Pretti: by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Both incidents were recorded on video and circulated widely online. The investigation into the shooting of Renee Good is ongoing, with authorities examining potential new evidence that may be connected to an unrelated case involving the ICE agent responsible.

The Google employees' petition includes four specific requests: that Google acknowledge risks workers face from immigration enforcement operations, host a question-and-answer session regarding government contracts, protect all employees regardless of position, and disclose how Department of Homeland Security agencies use Google products while establishing clear boundaries.

Google responded that DHS uses "basic cloud infrastructure services that are available to any customer." The employees also referenced a reported incident in which ICE agents allegedly attempted to access Google's Cambridge, Massachusetts campus, which raised internal security concerns.

The protest at Google is part of a broader pattern across the technology sector. More than 250 workers from Amazon, Spotify, Oracle, Apple, and PayPal signed a separate petition titled "Tech demands ICE out of our cities," which urged executives to press the White House regarding ICE operations. This marks a shift from recent years, when many tech companies implemented restrictions on internal employee activism.

The Viewpoints

Those supporting the employee petition argue that technology companies have a moral responsibility to evaluate how their products and services are used. They contend that corporations should not provide tools or infrastructure to agencies involved in enforcement operations they view as controversial or harmful. Protesters assert that tech workers have the right to know what their labor supports and to advocate for alignment between company values and government contracts.

Supporters of maintaining government contracts argue that federal agencies require high-quality technology to manage border security, public safety, and national operations effectively. They maintain that providing cloud infrastructure or software services does not constitute endorsement of every agency action, and that technology itself is neutral. Some note that refusing to work with government agencies could create inefficiencies or security vulnerabilities in critical systems.

Additional perspectives include concerns about employee safety and campus security, questions about corporate transparency regarding government work, and debates about the appropriate role of worker activism within large corporations.

The Biblical Lens

The conversation about justice, mercy, and corporate responsibility brings us directly to Micah 6:8: "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

This verse doesn't settle every policy debate, but it does establish a framework. Justice asks us to consider what is fair and right. Mercy asks us to see human dignity, particularly for the vulnerable. Humility reminds us that we don't have all the answers and that God's perspective is higher than our tribal allegiances.

The Google employees are wrestling with questions about justice and mercy in their own sphere of influence. The investigation into Renee Good's death raises similar questions about accountability and human life. And the broader debate about immigration enforcement touches on some of the most complex intersections of law, compassion, and national interest.

Scripture doesn't give us a policy manual, but it does call us to approach these conversations with both conviction and compassion. Proverbs 31:8-9 urges us to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves" and to "defend the rights of the poor and needy." At the same time, Romans 13 acknowledges the role of governing authorities in maintaining order and safety.

The tension is real. Both justice and mercy matter. Both order and compassion are necessary. The challenge for followers of Christ is to hold these truths together without collapsing into simplistic tribal positions.

The Response

Headlines about corporate protests and fatal shootings can feel overwhelming. It's easy to retreat into camps: to pick a side and defend it with everything we have. But the Kingdom call is different. It asks us to love people on every side of the issue, to grieve real loss, and to advocate for both justice and mercy without letting one cancel out the other.

The death of Renee Good is a tragedy that deserves a thorough, transparent investigation. Her family deserves answers. If there was wrongdoing, accountability matters. At the same time, the men and women working in federal law enforcement carry difficult responsibilities, often in dangerous situations. Both of these things can be true.

The Google employees raising concerns about their company's contracts are exercising their voice in a way that reflects their convictions. That matters. Corporate leaders who must balance government relationships, employee concerns, security needs, and public trust face genuinely complex decisions. That matters too.

This is where the call to "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly" becomes so practical. Justice asks hard questions about accountability and fairness. Mercy refuses to dehumanize anyone: not immigrants, not federal agents, not tech workers, not corporate executives. Humility admits we don't see the whole picture and keeps us from the arrogance of certainty in areas where wisdom requires nuance.

The world wants us to pick teams and fight. Jesus invites us to pursue truth, extend compassion, and trust that God is sovereign even when systems feel broken.

You don't have to have all the answers. You don't have to defend a perfect political position. You can grieve injustice, pray for leaders, advocate for the vulnerable, support law enforcement accountability, and trust that God is still writing the story.

Peace isn't found in having the right opinion on every issue. It's found in staying tethered to the One who sees everything and loves perfectly.

If you're carrying the weight of these headlines and need a quiet, Christ-centered place to process what's happening: someone to help you find your footing when the news feels relentless: you can find me at www.laynemcdonald.com. I'm here if you need it.