Medium says employees can join Friday's strike against ICE

January 30, 2026 - 07:23

The online publishing platform Medium has informed its staff that they are permitted to participate in a nationwide walkout this Friday, joining a growing tech industry protest against contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The strike, organized by the activist group Never Again Action, calls on employees at major tech firms to demand their companies sever all business ties with the federal immigration agency. In an internal message, Medium's CEO addressed the complex position companies can face, noting that "sometimes it feels awkward to navigate being both on-mission and on-money."

This move highlights the increasing pressure on Silicon Valley to weigh ethical considerations against government and commercial contracts. By explicitly allowing employees to join the demonstration, Medium is acknowledging the internal advocacy of its workforce and the broader moral questions surrounding technology's role in government operations. The company's stance is being closely watched as a indicator of how other firms may respond to similar activist campaigns targeting the intersection of technology and immigration enforcement. The walkout aims to disrupt business as usual and force a public reckoning on the responsibilities of tech companies in the current political climate.