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The latest flap over DHS funding is being driven less by sober debate and more by emotion after two high-profile, deadly encounters in Minneapolis that have some activists demanding an end to funding for ICE and other federal law enforcement. Washington insiders and reporters are now pointing to a wave of demonstrations and pressure on Congress as lawmakers negotiate DHS appropriations ahead of a potential shutdown. This is the backdrop for a new look at which private companies are doing the heavy lifting for immigration enforcement.
Reporters have identified Palantir, AT&T and Deloitte among the largest corporate contractors to ICE, and that should give patriotic Americans a moment to think about what’s actually at stake. These firms supply the tools that allow federal agents to do the difficult, dangerous work of tracking criminal networks, vetting overstays, and managing complex investigations rather than leaving enforcement to improvisation. The Forbes reporting underscores that this isn’t small-time consulting — these are major contracts that keep essential systems running.
Palantir in particular has drawn the heat, but conservatives ought to recognize what Palantir actually does: advanced data analysis that turns messy information into actionable leads for law enforcement. Recent reporting shows Palantir has been contracted to build and enhance immigration case-management platforms, including a roughly $30 million effort to create an ImmigrationOS to help track visa overstays and support deportation priorities. If you want borders secured and criminal networks dismantled, you need reliable technology and serious analytics.
AT&T and Deloitte play different but complementary roles — AT&T provides critical communications and network services while Deloitte supplies data modernization and program support — and both have received multi‑million dollar awards from ICE in recent years. Forbes notes AT&T’s award that began in 2021 and could grow into a longer-term relationship, and Deloitte was given a roughly $24 million contract in 2023 for data modernization work through 2027. When bureaucrats and activists try to demonize these companies for doing government work, they ignore that private expertise is often the only way to keep operations functional and accountable.
Let’s be clear: the political theater around defunding ICE after the Minneapolis incidents is predictable, but it is dangerous when it translates into hamstringing the agencies that protect our communities. The coverage of the Minneapolis shots and the ensuing protests shows a city in chaos — not because federal agents operate without oversight, but because enforcement policy has become a political football. America needs law and order, and cutting off the tools and contractors that enable enforcement will only embolden criminal activity and endanger everyday citizens.
Corporate leaders facing pressure from activist employees and progressive lawmakers should take a stand for the rule of law and for the security of American families. If firms like Palantir, AT&T and Deloitte walk away from crucial contracts because of social media outrage, taxpayers and communities will suffer the consequences — degraded systems, slower investigations, and less oversight in practice, not more. Conservatives should demand that companies deliver services with transparency and respect for civil liberties, but we should also insist that national security and public safety not be sacrificed to the mob.
At the end of the day, this is about priorities: do we stand with hardworking agents trying to restore order and enforce the law, or do we allow political grandstanding to dismantle the very capabilities that keep America safe? Responsible conservatives know we can support strong enforcement, accountability, and sensible procurement all at once. Congress should fund DHS fully, condition contracts on real oversight, and let experienced contractors provide the tools necessary to keep our streets and borders secure.
