Gen Z Advocacy Group Launches Boycott Against Corporations Supporting ICE

Beyond the Ballot, a Gen Z-led advocacy group, has initiated a boycott campaign titled "Not With My Dollars: ICE Out of My Wallet." This campaign targets major corporations that are perceived to enable or profit from the policies of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Trump administration's immigration enforcement strategies. The campaign was launched in light of ongoing concerns regarding the treatment of immigrant communities in the United States, particularly as the holiday shopping season approaches.

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The boycott specifically calls out several high-profile companies, including Amazon, Whole Foods, Dell, Microsoft, Home Depot, Spotify, and Target. Each corporation is criticized for its alleged complicity in supporting ICE's operations or policies. For instance, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is described as the "digital backbone" of ICE, providing essential cloud services that facilitate the agency's tracking and targeting of immigrant families.

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Target is criticized for its cooperation with the Trump administration's policies, while Home Depot has faced backlash for allowing ICE agents to detain individuals in its stores without proper legal justification. The campaign also highlights Microsoft’s $19.4 million contract with ICE for artificial intelligence services and Dell's financial support for ICE's chief information officer through software licenses.

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Beyond the Ballot emphasizes that the boycott is not merely a temporary measure but a long-term strategy aimed at holding corporations accountable. The group asserts that to be removed from the boycott list, each targeted corporation must meet specific demands, which include public commitments to cease collaboration with ICE and the reinstatement of diversity and inclusion policies. The campaign encourages consumers to consider alternatives such as local bookstores and independent retailers to avoid supporting the targeted companies.

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Critics of the boycott may argue that such campaigns could inadvertently harm the very communities they aim to protect by affecting employment and economic stability in those businesses. Additionally, some may contend that the boycott could lead to unintended consequences for workers who rely on these corporations for their livelihoods.

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Victor Rivera, the executive director of Beyond the Ballot, stated, "We cannot out-organize a fascist administration while simultaneously bankrolling the companies profiting from its cruelty." The organization stresses that financial support for these corporations equates to complicity in the actions of ICE, stating, "If you bankroll a violent, unaccountable agency that terrorizes our communities, you will not do it with our money."

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• “Every dollar spent at a complicit corporation is a dollar funding the abduction and disappearance of our neighbors.” — Victor Rivera, Executive Director, Beyond the Ballot

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• “Unlike other consumer boycotts, Not With My Dollars is designed for long-term pressure and escalation,” — Beyond the Ballot

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• “Across the country, poor and working-class migrant families are facing a wave of state-sponsored abductions, violence, and political policing under the fascist Trump administration. Corporations that choose to partner with, advertise on, bankroll, or provide critical infrastructure to ICE are not neutral; they are complicit.” — Beyond the Ballot

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The boycott campaign is set to continue beyond the Black Friday shopping period, with organizers planning to maintain pressure on the targeted corporations to fulfill their demands. The group aims to ensure that the campaign remains visible and impactful in the long term, advocating for accountability and change in corporate practices related to immigration enforcement.

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