Protesters Press Amazon to Cut Ties With Immigration Agencies

The protest, which drew roughly 250 participants, focused on Amazon's ongoing role in hosting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Amazon Web Services. Organizers also targeted the company's relationship with Palantir, a data analytics firm long criticized for facilitating deportations. Activists argue that these partnerships provide the backbone for a surveillance apparatus that prioritizes profit over human rights.

The demonstration came just one day after Amazon-owned Ring announced it would end its contract with Flock Safety. That decision followed widespread backlash over a Super Bowl advertisement that showcased a camera feature using artificial intelligence for neighborhood surveillance. While Ring framed the technology as a tool for finding lost pets, critics like Beryl Lipton of the Electronic Frontier Foundation characterized it as a dangerous expansion of the surveillance state. For those gathered in Seattle, the move was a proof of concept.

"Our third demand has already been met—which shows that these companies are waking up to how appalled regular people are about the dystopia they're creating for us," said organizer Emily Johnston. Speakers, including Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, emphasized that the rally was intended to be the first of many directed at Amazon leadership. Protesters pointed to a widening rift between the company’s Seattle roots and its increasingly cozy relationship with the Trump administration, citing CEO Andy Jassy’s recent attendance at a White House movie premiere as a betrayal of local values.