Faith Leaders and Catholic Sisters Rally Outside Palantir's New York Office Over Immigration Surveillance

Catholic sisters and immigrant rights activists gathered outside Palantir Technologies' New York office on June 3, 2026, calling on the company to conduct a human rights impact assessment of its surveillance and data analytics contracts.

The rally was organized by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, which led Proposal 5 at Palantir's annual shareholder meeting. The proposal asked the company to evaluate the human rights implications of its work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and military agencies.

Palantir's founders, Alex Karp, Stephen Cohen, and Peter Thiel, collectively control 49.99 percent of the company's voting power. The proposal was voted down after the founders' bloc opposed it.

Faith-based investors who participated in the effort said the vote outcome was expected but that the rally and shareholder action were intended to build public pressure and create a record of opposition.

Organizers drew on the language of Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, released in late May, which warned against technologies that dehumanize people and called for ethical standards in AI and surveillance systems.

Palantir has faced sustained criticism from civil liberties groups and immigration advocates over its contracts with federal agencies. The company argues that its technology helps law enforcement operate more effectively and that it complies with all applicable laws.

The protest was part of a broader trend of faith-based investors using shareholder meetings to raise ethical concerns about technology companies. Similar efforts have targeted Amazon, Microsoft, and other firms over their government contracts.

Religion News Service covered the event, noting that the coalition included both Catholic and Protestant faith leaders as well as secular immigrant rights organizations.