Google DeepMind Employees Ask Leaders to Maintain ‘Physical Safety’ from ICE

Employees at Google DeepMind They asked company leadership to develop plans and policies to keep them “physically safe” from them Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) While they were at company headquarters, according to screenshots of internal messages obtained by WIRED.

Monday morning, two days after federal agents Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretty was shot and killeda Google DeepMind employee posted the following message on an internal message board for the company’s roughly 3,000-person AI unit:

“US-focused question: What is GDM doing to keep us physically safe from ICE? The events of the past week have shown that immigration status, citizenship, or even the law is no deterrent against detention, violence, or even death at the hands of federal agents.”

He continues: “What types of plans and policies are in place to ensure our safety in the office? When going to and from work? As we have seen, the tactics of government agencies can change and escalate very quickly. With offices in many metropolitan areas across the United States, are we prepared?”

The message received more than 20 reactions “plus emojis” from Google DeepMind employees.

By Monday evening, no senior leaders at Google had responded to the letter. In fact, senior officials at Google — including CEO Sundar Pichai and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis — have remained mum about Preeti’s murder even within the company, sources say.

Messages appear Some of the latest sections Clashes have erupted between artificial intelligence companies and their employees over the Trump administration’s deployment of federal immigration agents across America. while Silicon Valley CEOs have largely been on their knees For Trump, their staff began raising concerns internally and externally about the actions of the federal government.

Google DeepMind’s chief scientist, Jeff Dean, has been one of the industry’s most vocal critics of ICE. In a Share on X On Sunday, he responded to a video showing Preity being shot, saying: “This is absolutely shameful.”

Employees at defense technology company Palantir He questioned the company’s decision to work with ICE. WIRED previously reported that a Palantir employee wrote in Slack, “In my opinion, ICE are the bad guys. I’m not prouder that the company I so enjoy working for is a part of this.”

Employees of AI labs that collaborate with Palantir — including OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Meta — also discussed whether leaders should be pushed to cut ties with the defense technology company. New York Times I mentioned.

Concerns about ICE agents entering Google offices are unfounded. In a letter obtained by WIRED, a separate Google DeepMind employee raised concerns about a federal agent’s alleged attempt to enter the company’s office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the fall.

Google’s head of security and risk operations responded to this message to explain what happened. They noted that “an officer arrived at the front desk unannounced” and that the agent “was not allowed in because he did not have a search warrant and left immediately.”

Google did not respond to a request for comment before publication.

Google is one of many Silicon Valley companies that rely on thousands of highly skilled foreign workers, many of whom are in the United States on visas. In light of the Trump administration’s campaign against immigration, these companies had to submit their offers Increased protection For many of their workers. Late last year, Google and Apple Employees with visas were advised not to leave the country After the White House tightened its screening of visa applicants.

At the time, Silicon Valley leaders were not shy about it Advocating for visa programswhich allowed the United States to bring in the best talent from around the world.