Surveillance on Trial: The New Wave of Resistance Against Palantir’s Expanding Empire
Follow-Up
The battle against corporate surveillance has reached a critical turning point as Palantir Technologies faces unprecedented resistance from a growing coalition of activists, tech workers, and civil rights organizations. As Palantir’s government ties deepen—from ICE to the Pentagon—a broader coalition of activists, lawmakers, and tech workers is building a counter‑surveillance front, winning policy fights and forcing public scrutiny.
Palantir’s ascent is no accident. Artificial intelligence and data fusion software—once niche tools—are now embedded in immigration enforcement, military targeting, and financial investigations. In 2025, the Pentagon expanded Palantir’s AI surveillance contract; ICE funded a new deportation platform; and the IRS extended analytics work—cementing Palantir as a backbone of state surveillance. The backlash is growing too: protests at Palantir offices, an open letter from former employees, and state-level curbs on face recognition point to a movement that is learning how to fight back where Washington won’t. The question is no longer whether this technology spreads—but who gets to say “not here.”
This article follows up on a previous Resist and Rise article:
The Contracts: Palantir’s Public Sector Surge
The Pentagon raised the ceiling of Palantir’s Project Maven “Smart System” contract by $795 million in May 2025, bringing it to roughly $1.3 billion through 2029 for AI-enabled surveillance and command software across combatant commands.
ICE awarded Palantir $30 million in 2025 to prototype “ImmigrationOS,” a platform to streamline identification, tracking, and removal—prototype due September 2025, with performance through 2027.
Palantir’s longstanding IRS deal (BPA 2032H518A00029) for criminal investigations analytics remains active through at least September 2025, with a ceiling of $157 million and over $142 million obligated.
“They express ideals about civil rights and freedom of speech, but now they're supporting an administration that is challenging democracy in new ways.” — Juan Sebastián Pinto, former Palantir employee, NPR, 5/1/25
The Streets and the Shop Floor: Protests and Worker Dissent
A coordinated day of action in July 2025 targeted Palantir offices in multiple cities, tying its products to deportations and wartime targeting.
In Palo Alto, protesters blockaded Palantir’s office; “This is just the beginning… we are going to be here non-violently protesting,” said organizer Alice Hu (Planet Over Profit) to Palo Alto Online on 7/15/25.
Thirteen former employees publicly condemned Palantir’s trajectory in a May 2025 letter—warning that early ethical guardrails are being dismantled—and called on the industry to resist authoritarian normalization.
Advocacy monitoring also documented arrests and pressure tactics used against demonstrators decrying Palantir’s role in deportations.
Law and Policy: A Patchwork Pushback on Surveillance
By late 2024, at least 15 states had limits on police use of facial recognition, while an array of cities enacted outright bans on government use.
Maryland enacted some of the strongest rules in October 2024: no real-time scanning, mandated transparency, and bans on immigration enforcement use.
In California, AB 1814 would bar police from relying solely on a face match for search or arrest, a step advocates call insufficient without broader bans.
The federal Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act remains stalled—no blanket federal guardrails yet.
“The solution… is Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS): laws that prohibit agencies from acquiring or using surveillance tech without public input and elected approval.” — ACLU analysis of New Orleans’ Palantir partnership (2018)
Palantir’s Defense vs. On‑the‑Ground Impacts
Palantir says it doesn’t operate government databases and designs products with “privacy-by-design” and human rights due diligence, rejecting claims of complicity in abuses.
Critics note that “privacy-by-design” does not change the end use: deportations, dragnet investigations, and wartime targeting still depend on Palantir’s platforms.
Protests continue to link Palantir’s products to the “weaponization of AI” and “privatization of oppression,” forcing local debates over contracts and divestment.
What it means
The United States is outsourcing public power to private platforms—and Palantir is the archetype. When AI-driven intelligence becomes the default layer in immigration, policing, and war, accountability migrates from courtrooms and councils into license agreements and Jira tickets. Palantir’s contracts are lawful; the social license is contested. The resistance—street protests, tech worker dissent, and state-level bans—shows that communities can still set limits, even if Congress won’t. The judiciously sarcastic translation: if you don’t like living in a test bed, stop letting vendors write the terms of your democracy.
What’s next
Watch implementation and audits under Maryland’s law as a potential model for other states; the reporting and oversight requirements are a proving ground.
Track California’s AB 1814 and similar bills limiting face-recognition reliance—advocates will test whether “guardrails” prevent wrongful arrests.
Expect renewed federal pressure via the FRBT Moratorium Act; even if stalled, it can serve as a rally point and a template for state action.
Keep an eye on follow-on awards to Project Maven and ImmigrationOS as prototypes mature—scope creep is a feature, not a bug.
Call to Action
Tell Congress to move the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act forward: read the bill and contact your members this week.
Get local: push CCOPS-style ordinances through your city council; start with the ACLU’s framework and adapt it to your town.
Plug into campaigns:
Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (NY) resources and updates
Follow protest coverage for upcoming actions (Democracy Now!)
Reader question: Your city likely buys software faster than it passes laws. What one safeguard—public hearings, independent audits, or community veto—would you demand before any new surveillance tech is deployed?
Methods & Verification
Methods: We used public records and OSINT (DoD/contract databases, Congress.gov), cross‑checked with independent journalism and civil society reporting. All claims are cited inline; quotes are attributed with name, role, outlet, and date.
Open questions: The full scope and inter-agency data flows of “ImmigrationOS” remain unclear; robust transparency mandates and audits are needed to verify limits on use.
Sources (inline citations):
ACLU. “New Orleans Program Offers Lessons on the Pitfalls of Predictive Policing.” 2018. https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/new-orleans-program-offers-lessons-pitfalls-predictive-policing
NPR. “At Least 15 States Restrict Police Use of Facial Recognition.” 8/28/2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/08/28/nx-s1-5519756/biometrics-facial-recognition-laws-privacy
Security Industry Association. “Maryland’s New Law: Strongest Regulations for Law Enforcement Use of Facial Recognition.” 10/7/2024. https://www.securityindustry.org/2024/10/07/nations-strongest-regulations-for-law-enforcement-use-of-facial-recognition-technology-go-into-effect-key-provisions-of-marylands-new-law/
CalMatters. “California Bill Would Limit Face Recognition in Policing.” 6/2024. https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/06/face-recognition-technology-california/
Congress.gov. “Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2023.” https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/681/text
DefenseScoop. “DoD Increases Palantir’s Maven Smart System Contract by $795M.” 5/23/2025. https://defensescoop.com/2025/05/23/dod-palantir-maven-smart-system-contract-increase/
Immigrant Policy Tracking. “ICE Awards $30M for ‘ImmigrationOS’ Platform to Palantir.” 2025. https://immpolicytracking.org/policies/reported-palantir-awarded-30-million-to-build-immigrationos-surveillance-platform-for-ice/
HigherGov/FPDS. “IRS BPA 2032H518A00029 – Palantir.” 2018–2025. https://www.highergov.com/idv/GS35F0086U-2032H518A00029/
NPR. “Palantir Workers’ Letter Criticizes Company’s Ties to Trump Administration.” 5/5/2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/05/05/nx-s1-5387514/palantir-workers-letter-trump
NPR. “Former Palantir Employee Speaks Out on Company’s Government Work.” 5/1/2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/05/01/nx-s1-5372776/palantir-tech-contracts-trump
Democracy Now! “Protests Target Palantir’s Role in Deportations and War Tech.” 7/15/2025. https://www.democracynow.org/2025/7/15/doge_20
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. “USA: Activists Protest Palantir’s Role in Immigrant Deportations.” 2025. https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/usa-activists-protest-palantirs-role-in-powering-immigrant-deportations/
Palo Alto Online. “Protesters Target Palo Alto’s Palantir Office.” 7/15/2025. https://www.paloaltoonline.com/community/2025/07/15/protesters-target-palo-altos-palantir-office/
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. “Palantir Response: Human Rights Due Diligence and Privacy by Design.” 2024–2025. https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/palantir-response-to-the-allegations-over-its-complicity-in-war-crimes-amid-israels-war-in-gaza/
Note: We separate verified facts (contracts, laws, quotes) from commentary (analysis in “What it means/What’s next”) and avoid uncorroborated figures.
Thanks for keeping this topic top of mind!!