Washington: Two senior Democratic lawmakers in the United States have raised serious concerns against tech giants Meta and Google. They allege that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are running advertisements on these platforms that promote white nationalist ideas and language.
Beka Ballint, Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration Enforcement Oversight, have written separate letters to the CEOs of Meta and Google. They have demanded an immediate end to all digital advertising partnerships with DHS and asked for details on the scope and duration of the agreements between the companies and the government.
Recruitment Ads and Alleged White Nationalist Messaging
The lawmakers claim that ICE is using these advertisements as part of a large-scale recruitment drive, planning to deploy thousands of new officers in cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago, Portland, and New Orleans. They allege that recruitment standards have been relaxed to meet these targets.
According to the letters, some ICE ads exhibit “white nationalist-inspired propaganda.” These ads are reportedly targeted on Facebook and Instagram towards people interested in Spanish language, Mexican cuisine, or Latin music, aiming to exert psychological pressure on them.
Expenditure and Controversial Slogans
In the past 90 days, DHS has spent over one million dollars on ads promoting “self-deportation,” encouraging individuals to leave the country voluntarily. Google and YouTube have reportedly spent nearly three million dollars on Spanish-language ads of this nature. In total, ICE spent approximately 5.8 million dollars on Meta and Google advertisements last year.
The lawmakers highlighted an Instagram advertisement stating, “Our home will be ours again,” a slogan often used by extremist and neo-Nazi groups. This has raised further alarm about the content and intent behind these campaigns.
Questions on Policy and Recruitment Practices
The members of Congress also accused ICE of loosening recruitment rules by removing age limits, offering signing bonuses up to $50,000, and deploying newly hired officers with insufficient training.
They have asked Meta and Google to explain how such advertisements were allowed on their platforms despite policies against hate speech and discriminatory content. The lawmakers seek clarity on whether these ads comply with the companies’ internal standards and if there was any discussion with DHS regarding this content.
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