Staff Request for Physical Safety
Employees at Google DeepMind posted an internal message asking what the company is doing to keep staff physically safe from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after a federal agent allegedly tried to enter the Cambridge office in the fall.
The message, sent two days after the shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti, asked about plans for safety at the office and on the commute, noting that “government agency tactics can change and escalate quite rapidly.” The post received more than 20 “plus emoji” reactions.
Leadership Response
By Monday evening, senior leaders including CEO Sundar Pichai and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis had not responded publicly. Google’s head of security and risk operations later clarified that an officer arrived at reception without notice, was denied entry because they lacked a warrant, and left promptly.
Broader Industry Context
Google DeepMind’s chief scientist Jeff Dean has publicly criticized ICE, calling the shooting of Alex Pretti “absolutely shameful.” Employees at other tech firms have raised similar concerns:
- Palantir staff questioned the company’s work with ICE.
- OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic, and other AI labs discussed cutting ties with Palantir.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed the Minnesota incident in an internal message, saying ICE actions are “going too far.”
Silicon Valley firms rely heavily on foreign‑skill workers on visas, prompting previous guidance from Google and Apple advising visa holders not to travel abroad during heightened vetting.