Rep. Ro Khanna Rejects Palantir Donations, Highlights Surveillance Issues

U.S. Representative Ro Khanna Rejects Palantir Donations Amid Surveillance Concerns

National Nurses United and Silicon Valley Rising Action announced today that U.S. Representative Ro Khanna has donated $49,000, previously received from Palantir Technologies, to community groups. This move marks his stance against future contributions from the company, known as Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) top technology provider. Khanna's decision arrives amidst criticisms of Palantir's mass surveillance technology, which has been associated with immigration enforcement actions.

By taking the Purge Palantir pledge, Khanna aligns with other lawmakers, such as Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper and U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-18), who have pledged to refuse donations from Palantir and its top executives. This movement follows the January 2026 launch of the Palantir Payroll, a tracker highlighting the company's political donations to both parties.

Palantir Technologies, co-founded by Peter Thiel and Alex Karp, specializes in AI-driven tools for extensive data collection and surveillance. These tools have reportedly facilitated aggressive tactics by ICE and CBP and are raising alarms in the healthcare sector for their potential to exacerbate AI reliance.

“It’s incredibly meaningful that Representative Ro Khanna, from the heart of Silicon Valley, rejected Palantir’s money and attempts to influence federal policy,” stated Mary Turner, RN and president of National Nurses United. She emphasized nurses' concerns about Palantir's technology and its pervasive reach into sectors such as healthcare. Turner expressed hope that other leaders would emulate Khanna's example.

Maria Noel Fernandez, Executive Director of Silicon Valley Rising Action, remarked, “Most Americans believe corporations and billionaires shouldn't be able to buy their way out of accountability, and Representative Khanna proved that elected leaders can choose to stand on our side.” She reflected on Palantir as an example of broader corporate influence reshaping governmental structures.

Representative Khanna expressed, “I am proud to be the first Bay Area member to take the pledge to refuse all future individual contributions from Palantir. This quarter, I have donated all of the contributions I have ever received from Palantir executives — not just from this cycle.” He reiterated his commitment to working with National Nurses United to encourage similar actions by other leaders.

Despite federal budget cuts to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies, Palantir has secured significant government contracts, totaling $2.5 billion from 2009 to 2025. This includes a notable $10 billion agreement with the Department of Defense to enhance data-sharing capabilities across agencies, further expanding surveillance capabilities.

Palantir’s influence extends into healthcare, with hospitals like HCA Healthcare collaborating to implement AI systems. HCA's partnership with Palantir led to the development of Timpani, an AI application reportedly contributing to unsustainable staffing schedules, intensifying the staffing crisis.

Internationally, Palantir collaborates with Israel’s Ministry of Defense, supporting operations in Gaza—a conflict criticized by various human rights organizations and international bodies as genocidal. Since the Israeli incursion in October 2023, over 1,500 health care workers and tens of thousands of civilians have perished.

National Nurses United is the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in the U.S., with over 225,000 members nationwide.

Silicon Valley Rising Action is a Santa Clara County-based organization advocating for worker and tenant rights, housing affordability, and economic justice through grassroots organizing.

---
Read More USA Works News