US lawmakers accuse Google and Meta of running controversial ads, demand their removal
Washington (The Uttam Hindu): Two senior Democratic lawmakers in the United States have leveled serious allegations against tech giants Meta and Google. They claim that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are running digital advertisements on these platforms that use language and themes linked to white nationalist ideology.
House Judiciary Committee Vice Chair Becca Balint and Indian-origin Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who heads the subcommittee overseeing immigration enforcement, have written separate letters to the CEOs of Meta and Google. In their letters, they demanded an immediate end to all digital advertising partnerships with DHS and sought details about the scope and duration of agreements between the companies and the department.
The lawmakers alleged that ICE is using these advertisements as part of a large-scale recruitment drive. Under this plan, thousands of new officers are to be deployed in cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago, Portland, and New Orleans. They also claimed that recruitment standards have been relaxed to meet these targets.
According to the letters, ICE has run ads that reflect “white nationalist-inspired messaging.” These advertisements reportedly appeared on Facebook and Instagram and were targeted at users interested in Spanish language content, Mexican food, or Latin music, allegedly to exert psychological pressure.
The lawmakers stated that over the past 90 days, DHS has spent more than $1 million on advertisements promoting “self-deportation.” Additionally, around $3 million was spent on Spanish-language ads across Google and YouTube. Overall, ICE is said to have spent approximately $5.8 million on advertisements on Meta and Google platforms last year.
One Instagram ad cited in the letters carried the slogan, “Our home will be ours again.” Lawmakers said this phrase is commonly used by extremist and neo-Nazi groups. They also alleged that ICE has loosened hiring rules, including removing age limits, offering signing bonuses of up to $50,000, and deploying new recruits without sufficient training.
The lawmakers questioned how such advertisements were allowed on Meta and Google platforms despite company policies that prohibit hate-based and discriminatory content. They asked both companies to clarify whether the ads complied with their internal standards and whether any discussions were held with DHS regarding the content.