PARIS — French Finance Minister Roland Lescure has issued a strong appeal to technology giant Capgemini, demanding complete transparency regarding its subsidiary’s contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This development occurs amid escalating concerns about the agency’s enforcement of the Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies.
The multinational corporation, which maintains a workforce exceeding 340,000 across more than 50 countries, entered into an agreement with ICE in December through its U.S.-based subsidiary Capgemini Government Solutions (CGS). Minister Lescure addressed French legislators Tuesday evening, emphasizing that Capgemini must provide comprehensive clarification about its activities and reconsider the ethical implications of this engagement.
This governmental pressure follows revelations that Capgemini’s CEO Aiman Ezzat only recently became aware of the contract. In a LinkedIn statement, Ezzat acknowledged that the nature of this work has raised significant questions compared to the company’s typical business operations. He revealed that CGS operates under a specialized governance structure that permits handling classified U.S. government work, with strict separation from Capgemini Group operations.
According to Ezzat, CGS maintains completely independent decision-making processes, firewalled networks, and a board controlled by U.S. directors with security clearances. This structure, mandated by U.S. regulations, prevents the parent company from accessing any classified information or contracts.
Minister Lescure remained unconvinced by these explanations, asserting that corporate ownership inherently requires knowledge of subsidiary activities. The controversy emerges against the backdrop of intensified immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, where recent ICE actions resulted in the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens, amplifying scrutiny of the agency’s methods.