Tech Workers Take a Stand Against ICE and Employer Resistance
In a bold display of worker solidarity, staff at Meta’s Bellevue, Washington café, Crashpad, have taken on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and their employer, Lavish Roots, to fight for the rights of their colleagues affected by immigration raids. This grassroots movement highlights the growing discontent among tech workers who are increasingly disillusioned with their companies’ responses to Trump administration policies.
The catalyst for this effort was the detention of Serigne, a Senegalese asylum seeker and brother of Crashpad dishwasher Abdoul Mbengue, under a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement program. When Mbengue learned about his brother’s situation, he rallied his colleagues, and together they launched a fundraising campaign to pay for Serigne’s legal defense. This collective action not only secured Serigne’s release but also sparked a broader conversation about the need for workers to take action in support of their vulnerable colleagues.
