'Legal constraints' prevented the Group from controlling the operations of its subsidiary, which has a contract with the much-criticised US immigration police ICE, Capgemini said, leaving them no alternative but to sell.
French IT giant Capgemini announced on Sunday that it was putting up for sale its subsidiary working with the US immigration police (ICE), at the heart of international controversy over the violent methods used by these federal agents.
The company has been in the spotlight for several days because of a contract, revealed by the NGO Observatoire des Multinationales, that its US subsidiary, Capgemini Government Solutions, signed with ICE to identify foreign nationals on US soil and track their movements.
In a press release, Capgemini explained that "the usual legal constraints imposed in the United States on contracting with federal entities conducting classified activities did not allow the Group to exercise appropriate control over certain aspects of this subsidiary's operations".
The subsidiary represents 0.4% of the Group's estimated worldwide sales for 2025 and less than 2% of its sales in the United States, according to the company.
"The process of selling this entity [...] will be initiated immediately", says Capgemini.
Anti-ICE protest spreads to Europe
Capgemini, which operates in around 50 countries and is one of the largest listed companies in France, has been the target of a number of protests. Members of parliament and the French Finance Minister, Roland Lescure, had asked the company to shed light on its activities in the United States.
The CGT Capgemini union launched an online petition demanding an end to its collaboration with the US government and blaming the company for "the tracking down, arrest, kidnapping and deportation of tens of thousands of people".
ICE operations in Minneapolis recently resulted in the deaths of two US citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Anti-ICE demonstrations have taken place in France and Italy, where the announced presence of US federal agents at the forthcoming Winter Olympics - in an "advisory" role with no planned patrols - has raised strong criticism.
