Palantir Defends ICE Work After Alex Pretti Killing

Employees demand transparency on Palantir's role in ICE operations following the shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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The recent shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents has ignited a fresh wave of internal dissent at Palantir Technologies, a data analytics company with notable contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Employees are demanding transparency regarding Palantir's role in ICE operations and questioning the ethical implications of their work, as Palantir's Investigative Case Management system provides ICE with advanced data analytics capabilities to identify, track, and apprehend individuals, including those suspected of immigration violations.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding Palantir's involvement with ICE and the broader implications of data-driven enforcement. Critics argue that Palantir's technology actively enables ICE's enforcement policies, including family separations and mass deportations, while Palantir maintains that it simply provides tools and the agency is responsible for how those tools are used.

The details

Palantir's Investigative Case Management (ICM) system aggregates data from a vast array of sources, including license plate readers, driver's license databases, utility records, and social media, to create thorough profiles of individuals. This allows ICE agents to identify, track, and apprehend individuals, especially those suspected of immigration violations. The system also uses predictive analytics and automated alerts to proactively target individuals at risk of violating immigration laws, raising concerns about privacy, due process, and potential for abuse.

  • The recent shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents occurred in 2026.

The players

Palantir Technologies

A data analytics company with notable contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

A federal law enforcement agency that has contracted with Palantir for its Investigative Case Management (ICM) system, which provides advanced data analytics capabilities to identify, track, and apprehend individuals, including those suspected of immigration violations.

Alex Pretti

A Minneapolis nurse who was shot by federal agents, sparking a fresh wave of internal dissent at Palantir over the company's work with ICE.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The internal debate at Palantir over its work with ICE is ongoing, and the company's leadership will likely face continued pressure from employees to address the ethical concerns surrounding its data analytics contracts with government agencies.

The takeaway

Palantir's work with ICE and other government agencies has raised significant concerns about privacy, due process, and the potential for abuse of data-driven enforcement. This case highlights the broader ethical challenges facing technology companies that provide tools and services to controversial government agencies, and the need for greater transparency and accountability in these partnerships.