National Nurses United holds nationwide protests against Palantir

Registered nurses from National Nurses United (NNU) conducted nationwide demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience on August 27 to demand that hospitals and elected officials sever ties with the artificial intelligence company Palantir.

The protests took place in eight cities, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, and Austin. Participants used visual displays to protest Palantir’s involvement in federal immigration enforcement, specifically citing the ELITE application. NNU members alleged the software is used by federal agents to identify individuals for arrest using improperly obtained Medicaid data.

To symbolize the impact of these technologies, protesters placed pairs of baby shoes in streets to represent detained infants and displayed images of notes from children imprisoned by federal agents. NNU President Jamie Brown stated that the union is resisting a future where tech corporations control public resources and expressed concern over the impact of Palantir’s technology on vulnerable populations and healthcare stability.