Two of Colorado's most prominent Democrats, Rep. Jason Crow and Sen. John Hickenlooper, say they are unloading campaign cash tied to current and former Palantir Technologies employees and sending it to immigrant-rights groups instead. The move comes as the Denver-based data giant faces growing criticism over its work with federal immigration agencies, and both lawmakers are pitching the donations as targeted support for legal-aid and shelter providers that serve immigrant communities in Colorado.
The pledge followed a round of pointed questions from reporters and landed in the middle of a fresh wave of scrutiny of Palantir's government contracts, according to The Colorado Sun. Campaign staffers told the Sun the money is intended to “offset” contributions traced to Palantir employees and will be routed to local nonprofits that handle legal assistance and shelter.
How Much Came From Palantir?
Activist tracker Purge Palantir lists Crow with about $59,700 in Palantir-linked donations, which places him fourth among House Democrats, and Hickenlooper at roughly $51,507, fifth among Democrats. The database shows most of that money coming from current or former senior Palantir executives rather than from a corporate PAC.
Why The Donations Matter
Palantir's government business has been on the upswing, including a roughly $30 million contract to build an ImmigrationOS platform for ICE, as reported by Wired. The New York Times has also detailed how ICE agents in Minnesota tapped a Palantir-built database that blends government and commercial data to pinpoint the real-time locations of people targeted in enforcement operations.
Local Pressure And National Echoes
Local immigrant-rights advocates have zeroed in on Crow's ties to the company. Westword documented a protest that disrupted a recent town hall over his donor list. Similar pressure is surfacing elsewhere: Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi donated $29,300 he received from Palantir's chief technology officer to immigrant-rights groups, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
What’s Next
Both Crow and Hickenlooper's campaigns told reporters they have not accepted Palantir-linked contributions since March 2025 and that earlier funds will be redirected to Colorado nonprofits that provide legal services and shelter, per The Colorado Sun. The recycling of the money leaves the two Democrats trying to thread a needle between answering constituent anger and maintaining their roles in overseeing surveillance and immigration policy from key committee posts.
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