Thomson Reuters Faces Pressure Over ICE Contracts

0:00Thompson Reuters faces a big moment as two key contracts with US agencies wind down soon. $15.9 million deal with the Department of Homeland Security for their clear database expires this month. Another $22.8 million pack with immigration and customs enforcement runs out at the end of May. A British Columbia Union, the BCG EU, is pushing hard over human rights worries tied to how these tools get used. These contracts let the agencies tap into investigative databases packed with data like arrest records and geolocation info. Thompson Reuters, the Toronto giant behind Reuters news, says they got pulled into immigration debates they didn't start. But with ice wrapping of deportations, critics say the company's tech fuels aggressive enforcement. Employees are speaking out too, especially for Minnesota where IC arrested over 4,000 people this winter. Some workers won Thompson Reuters to drop ice entirely. The United Nations has slammed the agency for abuses against migrants and courts have tossed out unlawful arrest.

1:05Blaster alone, 32 folks died in ice custody with more this year. The BCG EU has battled this for six years as a shareholder, filing proposals for human rights reviews aligned with UN standards. The company updated policies in 2022, but the union dropped a new investor brief this year highlighting surveillance risks from AI-powered tools. Their latest push got 20% support from independence, though the majority owner blocked change. Pressure keys building as expiry dates hit, with the union vowing to hold Thompson Reuters accountable and chase real fixes for sustainable investing. That wraps Vancouver news today, brought to you with AI.