1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to address the climate of fear that has taken hold in major technology companies, where workers are being silenced on matters of public concern, particularly regarding immigration enforcement actions. Recent fatal shootings by federal agents have sparked nationwide protests, including the killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent one month ago and the shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents two weeks ago. Despite these incidents occurring in Minneapolis and triggering widespread demonstrations, tech workers at companies including Microsoft, YouTube, Google, CLEAR, and Abbott report being explicitly or implicitly told to remain silent and avoid making trouble. Internal company forums that once hosted robust discussions are now largely devoid of conversation about these critical issues. This fear-based culture represents a troubling erosion of workers' rights to engage with matters of public importance. Employees describe feeling pressured to keep their heads down and stick to corporate missions, fearing job consequences if they speak out. When workers at Microsoft attempted to discuss the intensifying Minneapolis protests and ICE actions on internal platforms like Viva Engage, their concerns went unacknowledged in town halls and public company messaging. Most tech CEOs have remained publicly silent on these matters. The technology sector employs hundreds of thousands of constituents whose voices matter in our democracy. When corporations create environments where workers fear retaliation for discussing public safety incidents and government actions, it undermines both workplace rights and civic participation. I ask that you investigate whether current labor protections adequately safeguard workers' ability to discuss matters of public concern without fear of retaliation. Consider introducing legislation that explicitly protects employees who engage in conversations about government actions and public safety issues, particularly when those discussions occur on internal company platforms or outside work hours. Workers should not have to choose between their livelihoods and their civic engagement.