Sen. Collins Faces Backlash for Palantir Donations Amid ICE Ties

Senator Collins Faces Scrutiny Over Palantir Contributions

A coalition of nurses and local constituents is set to convene a press conference at the district office of Senator Susan Collins, urging her to cease accepting donations from Palantir Technologies. This tech company is known for its involvement with ICE surveillance activities. According to Purge Palantir’s “Palantir Payroll” tracker, Senator Collins has amassed over $105,000 in political donations from Palantir executives, ranking her among the top three Congressional recipients.

The community will advocate for Sen. Collins to align with a growing number of Congressional members who are refusing Palantir’s campaign contributions. This list includes U.S. representatives such as Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Jason Crow, Pat Ryan, and U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, all opposing the company’s close relationship with ICE and federal immigration enforcement.

They will also encourage the Maine Senator to redirect the $105,000 received from Palantir towards immigrant rights and community organizations, emphasizing the need to protect Mainers from surveillance systems linked to deportation, detention, and human rights abuses.

Who: RNs with Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (MSNA/NNOC), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), Maine People's Action, community members, immigrant families, and allied organizations.

What: PALANTIR TRACKS, ICE ATTACKS – press conference and community action

When: Thursday, March 12 at 1:30 pm ET

Where: Senator Susan Collins’ district office | 1 Plaza, Portland, Maine

At a time when the federal government has slashed over a trillion dollars from Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies, threatening healthcare access for many Mainers and risking hospital closures, billions in contracts have been awarded to Palantir. Founded by billionaires Peter Thiel and Alex Karp, Palantir’s data mining capabilities centralize and manage vast datasets, including Medicaid information, to support ICE’s efforts to locate, detain, and deport immigrants.

Palantir’s federal contracts have surged, with the company receiving $2.5 billion in funding between 2009 and 2025. Recent agreements include a $10 billion deal with the Department of Defense to enhance data sharing across federal agencies, and a $30 million contract with the Department of Homeland Security for an AI system to identify immigrants for deportation. In February 2026, a $1 billion contract was signed between the Department of Homeland Security and Palantir.

Palantir’s influence extends into healthcare, with a contract in place with MaineHealth, a major healthcare provider in Portland, Maine. However, MaineHealth has not disclosed details of its collaboration with Palantir.

Maine State Nurses Association is part of the National Nurses Organizing Committee, representing 4,000 nurses and caregivers from Portland to Fort Kent. NNOC is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the largest and fastest-growing labor union for registered nurses in the U.S., with over 225,000 members nationwide.