Microsoft's ties with ICE come under fire amidst allegations that the company's cloud and AI technology are being used to support mass surveillance of US citizens

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No Azure for Apartheid statement comes the day after reports claiming that ICE has tripled the amount of data stored on Microsoft's Azure servers over the past six months.

CORRECTION / Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents use their phones near protestors at a demonstration in Newark, New Jersey May 7, 2025, outside Delaney Hall, a newly converted immigrant detention centre. Delaney Hall has the ability to hold over a 1000 people, and the detention facility, privately owned by The GEO Group, holds a contract with the federal government to house people arrested by ICE. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) / "The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Newark, New Jersey] instead of [Elizabeth, New Jersey]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require." (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
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No Azure for Apartheid, a worker-led organization that's previously carried out multiple protests over Microsoft's dealing with the Israeli military and its campaign in Gaza, has issued a statement calling on the company to end its relationship with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency more commonly known as ICE.

The statement follows reporting by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call that found ICE had tripled the amount of data it stored on Microsoft's Azure servers between July 2025 and January 2026, to an astounding 1,400 terabytes, and also appears to be using Microsoft's AI tools to search and analyze that data. Microsoft denied any allegation of wrongdoing, saying its terms and services forbid the use of its technology in mass surveillance of civilians, and that "we do not believe ICE is engaged in such activity."

That echoes a statement released by Microsoft in May 2025 regarding the Israel Ministry of Defense's use of Azure service, in which the company said it "does not have visibility into how customers use our software on their own servers or other devices ... nor do we have visibility to the IMOD’s government cloud operations."

Andy Chalk
Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.