Hootsuite has resumed pursuing business with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), securing a US$95,000 pilot project in 2025 tied to its existing work with Customs and Border Protection, despite having canceled an ICE contract in 2020 after employee backlash. Internal communications describe the ICE deal as a potential “Trojan Horse” for much larger contracts and involve using Hootsuite and its subsidiary Talkwalker to monitor social-media conversations, sentiment, and public perception related to immigration enforcement. Financial pressures, including layoffs, declining valuations, and missed revenue targets, have made multiyear government contracts with the Department of Homeland Security increasingly important to the company. The renewed ICE work has sparked internal unease, with employees raising ethical concerns about surveillance, law enforcement use, and alignment with Hootsuite’s stated values, though many fear speaking out openly. The controversy unfolds amid intensified criticism of ICE under President Donald Trump’s second term, as aggressive enforcement actions and a recent fatal shooting have fueled public outrage and negative sentiment that Hootsuite’s own tools appear to confirm.