Nurses Stage National Protests Against Palantir's ICE Work

National Nurses United coordinated protests in eight U.S. cities Thursday against Palantir Technologies, targeting the company's dual role in immigration enforcement and healthcare automation. Demonstrations took place in Palo Alto, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Portland (Maine), Asheville, Austin, and New Orleans.

The actions represent the union's largest organized campaign against the tech firm to date, according to People's World, which first reported the story.

Immigration surveillance at the center

Palantir developed and operates ELITE, an application Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents use to locate individuals for potential deportation. The union says Palantir's technology enabled the detention of approximately 500 babies and more than 6,000 children by ICE and Customs and Border Protection since the current administration began.

Internal memos obtained by the Associated Press show the Trump administration ordered the transfer of personal data on millions of Medicaid recipients to Homeland Security officials in July, including immigration status information. Career civil servants reportedly objected to the data transfer.

Palantir's federal funding has expanded significantly, receiving $2.5 billion between 2009 and 2025. The Department of Homeland Security signed a five-year agreement with Palantir in February 2026 worth up to $1 billion, while the Department of Defense announced a $10 billion contract last July.

Healthcare automation concerns

Nurses also protested Palantir's growing presence in hospital systems. HCA Healthcare, the nation's largest for-profit hospital chain, uses Palantir's Timpani software to manage staffing schedules across more than 130 facilities and 1,200 nursing units.

While HCA reports the platform has reduced scheduling time and contributed to declining nurse turnover, National Nurses United says the AI-enabled system creates "unsustainable and faulty schedules that ultimately perpetuate the national short-staffing crisis."

MaineHealth has used Palantir since at least 2025 to streamline insurance communications but has not disclosed the full scope of the arrangement or data protection measures, according to union nurses who have pressed for transparency.

Chicago demonstration draws labor coalition

In Chicago, nurses and allies rallied outside the Cook County Pension Board, where millions in nurses' pension funds are invested in Palantir. Protesters briefly blocked West Madison Street, chanting "No ICE, no war, no Palantir!"

The demonstration drew support from multiple labor organizations, including the Chicago Teachers Union, Teamsters Local 700, and UE Local 1122. Husam Marajda, spokesperson for the Palestinian Community Network, told attendees the State of Illinois Pension Board had tripled its Palantir investment since 2025.

"We have to resist a future where tech billionaires control our politics and our public resources," said NNU President Jamie Brown. "Otherwise, we will see fewer and fewer resources for working people—for our health care, for our education, for our housing."

Why it matters

The protests highlight growing tension between healthcare workers and technology companies as AI systems enter clinical settings with limited regulatory oversight. The campaign also illustrates how public sector unions are using divestment pressure to challenge companies involved in immigration enforcement, connecting workplace concerns with broader political issues around surveillance and automation.

People's World reported these details from the nationwide demonstrations.