French lawmakers have demanded an explanation after a subsidiary of Capgemini, one of France's biggest tech companies, signed a multimillion-dollar contract to help the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency trace and expel migrants. The revelation has provoked outrage in France, with ministers and MPs calling for greater transparency over potential human rights breaches.
The contract, valued at $4.8m, was agreed by Capgemini Group Solutions (CGS) with ICE's Detention Compliance and Removals office. It includes “skip tracing services” for enforcement and removal operations, with bonuses of up to $365m for successfully locating foreign nationals. Capgemini admitted the contract but said it has not yet come into effect, as it is subject to an appeal.
France’s armed forces minister, Catherine Vautrin, said: “The contracts of French groups deserve close scrutiny,” adding that respect for human rights is an issue. Hadrien Clouet, a left-wing MP, stated: “It’s time for France to accept its responsibilities. French private companies are collaborating with ICE. We do not accept this.” Economy minister Roland Lescure told the National Assembly he had urged Capgemini to “shed light in a highly transparent manner on its activities”.
In an email to employees, Capgemini executive Mathieu Dougados acknowledged that the contract raised “legitimate questions” but said the company had only recently become aware of the nature of the contract and could not obtain details of technical operations due to US regulations. The CGT union at Capgemini called for an immediate halt to all collaboration with ICE, describing the partnership as making the group “an active accomplice in serious human rights violations”.
The contract was revealed by the corporate watchdog Observatoire des Multinationales, which also noted that Capgemini has 13 current contracts with ICE, including one to manage a hotline for crime victims. A webpage removed from Capgemini’s site boasted of working “closely” with ICE’s deportation operations to reduce delays and costs. Lescure said Capgemini’s explanations were “not good enough” and urged the company to fully clarify its activities.
