August 07, 2017
An investigative report published by the Intercept today reveals evidence that IBM, along with other major corporations including Booz Allen Hamilton, LexisNexis, SAS, and Deloitte are vying to help build an advanced computer system to operationalize Donald Trump's "extreme vetting" policy. The report explains that on July 18th and 19th, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations division hosted an "industry day" for technology firms interested in building the new 'extreme vetting' computer system, which included a representative in attendance from IBM.
In a ICE document given to the companies interested in a contract entitled "Extreme Vetting Initiative," ICE explains that the system must "determine and evaluate an applicant's probability of becoming a positively contributing member of society as well as their ability to contribute to national interests," and predict "whether an applicant intends to commit criminal or terrorist acts after entering the United States."
In response to the Intercept report, Nicole Carty, Campaign Manger at SumOfUs, a corporate watchdog group, issued the following statement:
"IBM's enthusiasm in building an advanced computer system to operationalize Trump's 'extreme vetting' policy is a sick display of moral bankruptcy and corporate greed."
"IBM is no stranger to aiding oppressive regimes—let us not forget the company's role in helping Nazi Germany create systems that helped in the atrocities of the Holocaust. The irony it seems, is lost on IBM's executives, as the company quite literally signs up to partner with Trump to make the civil rights violations of his wildly racist 'extreme vetting' policy a reality.
"Trump is not a normal president and this this is not a business as usual moment. By seeking to build technology systems that bring Trump's ugly 'extreme vetting' agenda to life, IBM is complicit in endangering our communities and our democracy. We urge IBM to pledge to not partner with the Trump administration and help execute his troubling 'extreme vetting' agenda. IBM must to learn from its ugly past and take a side."
FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://theintercept.com/2017/08/07/these-are-the-technology-firms-lining-up-to-build-trumps-extreme-vetting-program/
Over 90,000 people have signed a SumOfUs petition urging Silicon Valley business leaders not to collaborate with the Trump administration, citing Trump's Muslim travel ban and dedication to building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. View the petition here: https://actions.sumofus.org/a/google-and-facebook-don-t-collaborate-with-hate
For more information, or for interview with a SumOfUs spokesperson, please contact Yasmina Dardari at +1 407-922-8149 or by email at yasmina@unbendablemedia.com.