ICE and YOU
It is your life, your choices. Please know that most of what you may be buying could be supporting ICE and its leader TRUMP. I have made some changes in where I buy and what services I use.
If you like what is happening in Minnesota, then buy from companies who support this government. They are listed below.
If you don’t like ICE and the TRUMP direction that supports ICE, there is a lot you can do.
VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET
It is more important than ever to know where your money goes. Many large corporations have become deeply entangled with ICE and DHS or have significantly supported Trump and his administration policies. Moving our business away from these companies to other more responsible ones is a powerful way to vote with your wallet. Below are some suggestions.
Tech & Telecommunications
Big Tech is often the hardest to avoid because many companies provide the digital backbone for mass surveillance and enforcement. Major providers like Microsoft, Dell, and Amazon (AWS) hold multi-million-dollar contracts for data hosting and AI tools used by ICE.
Alternatives:
• MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators): Carriers like Tello, US Mobile, and Consumer Cellular use the major towers but don’t hold the massive federal enforcement contracts that AT&T or Verizon do. T-Mobile has no contracts, although they made a contribution to Trump‘s inaugural.
• Privacy-Focused Tech: Consider DuckDuckGo for search and ProtonMail (based in Switzerland) for email, which prioritize data encryption over government access.
Retail & Groceries
Retailers are often the most visible participants in political spending. While some stores allow ICE agents to operate in their parking lots or donate heavily to specific PACs, others have drawn a hard line.
Home Depot and Lowe’s have faced criticism for allowing ICE activity on their property. Walmart and Target both have complex histories; while they have recently spoken out against specific enforcement surges, they also maintain large corporate PACs that often donate to both parties.
Whole Foods is a part of Amazon and should be avoided.
The Alternatives:
• Costco: Remains a gold standard for neutrality and worker rights. They avoid political culture wars and focus on a member-only model that limits unauthorized government access.
• Trader Joe’s is privately owned and has no known contracts or partnerships with ICE.
• Aldi: is an alternative to Walmart; as a private German company, it maintains a much lower political profile in the U.S.
• REI & Patagonia: Both are leaders in advocacy retail. Patagonia has a history of suing the government to protect civil liberties and the environment.
• Bookshop.org is better for books than Amazon, because it supports local independent bookstores.
Shipping & Logistics
Shipping is a massive point of contact between corporate infrastructure and ICE
FedEx and UPS both hold contracts with the ICE and the Department of Homeland Security for delivery services.
The Alternatives:
• USPS (United States Postal Service): While it is a government agency, it is a constitutionally mandated public service with strict privacy protections for mail and a high level of public accountability.
• Local Couriers: For city-wide deliveries, local “bike messenger” services or independent couriers keep your money in the local economy.
Healthcare & Pharmacy
• Cost Plus Drugs: Founded by Mark Cuban operates on a transparent, “cost-plus” model that bypasses the traditional pharmaceutical middlemen who often lobby for restrictive healthcare policies.
• Local Independent Pharmacies: These are usually more invested in community health than the mega-chains like CVS or Walgreens, which have high-level political engagement.
Stay Informed
If you want to do your own research on a company’s ethics, use these tools:
• OpenSecrets.org: Search any company to see exactly which politicians and PACs they are funding.
• Good Jobs First (Subsidy Tracker): See if a company is receiving government tax breaks or subsidies.
• B-Corp Directory: Look for companies with a B-Corp Certification, which legally requires them to balance profit with social and environmental missions.
• Cutoffthespigot is an example of an Instagram user that has created lists of companies to avoid. It’s an example of many individual efforts to help one another make good selections.
• Resist and Unsubscribe is a site created by Scott Galloway in his effort to start an economic boycott, because he believes it’s the best way to make an impact that our leaders will respond to if it’s effective.