More than 100 Microsoft employees have signed an open letter calling on the tech giant to cease its work with the controversial US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).

As a scandal brews over the separation of children from their families at the US-Mexico border, news reports have highlighted the distress than young children experience as they are separated from their parents and left alone.

Refusing to be Complicit

The letter, posted on an internal company message board, was published by the New York Times and stated the employees “refuse to be complicit” in the affair. The company has insisted that its technology and services were not being used for “projects related to separating children from their families at the border.”

The company does, however, have a contract with ICE worth around £14.7 million. Microsoft’s Azure platform has been used to facilitate data security and compliance.

In its statement, Microsoft denied that Azure was being used as part of the separation procedures and that the company is “dismayed” by the process.

“Contrary to some speculation, we are not aware of Azure or Azure services being used for this purpose. As a company, Microsoft is dismayed by the forcible separation of children from their families at the border.”

Take an Ethical Stand

In the letter sent to Chief Executive, Satya Nadella, signatories demand that the company ends its association with ICE, as well as other organisations and clients that “directly enable” the federal authority.

The letter states “we believe that Microsoft must take an ethical stand, putting children and families above profits” and calls on the company to “draft, publicise and enforce a clear policy stating that neither Microsoft nor its contractors will work with clients who violate international human rights law.”

Embracing Diversity

Microsoft President, Brad Smith, commented on the Microsoft official blog that Microsoft valued diversity and highlighted that although immigration is a difficult subject at present, the company has benefited from a wide range of demographics throughout its history.

He said: “We recognise that immigration is a complex and all too often polarising topic. There are many experts with great knowledge and important insights, and we constantly learn from listening to their views.

“As much as any business in the country – and one that generates one of the nation’s leading export surpluses – Microsoft is a company of immigrants in a nation of immigrants.”

He added: “Microsoft also has employees who have moved here from more than 120 other countries, including lawful permanent residents, high-skilled immigrants on the path to a green card, and DREAMers. This has made Microsoft something akin to “the United Nations of Software.”

Industry Support

Microsoft employees have received messages of support from their counterparts in the US tech industry, and a number of high profile figures have already spoken out against US immigration practices in the past week.

Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, tweeted that the stories emerging are “gut wrenching” and called on the US Government to use more humane methods. Pichai faced an employee revolt of his own recently after Google employees also wrote an open letter criticising the tech giant’s involvement in Project Maven.

The stories and images of families being separated at the border are gut-wrenching. Urging our government to work together to find a better, more humane way that is reflective of our values as a nation. #keepfamiliestogether

— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) June 19, 2018

Speaking at an event in Ireland, Apple boss Tim Cook called the policy “inhumane” and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said “we need to stop this policy right now”.