Unionized game workers launch petition to protect immigrants from ICE agents
Unionized workers across the video game industry are calling on their employers to protect their staff from marauding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) agents.
Communications Workers of America (CWA) union members at UVW-CWA have launched the 'We Don't Play With ICE' campaign to demand U.S. employers commit to being a fourth amendment workplace.
Notably, anybody can add their signature to the petition, which specifically asks employers to avoid collaborating or cooperating with any federal or local law enforcement unless explicitly compelled by a judicial warrant signed by a judge.
Speaking to Game Developer about the movement at GDC Festival of Gaming, UVW-CWA president Aurelia Augusta said the campaign will require as many workers as possible to stand together in solidarity.
"We are trying to activate game workers and get them organized to make a demand their boss by saying 'hey, you should make this a fourth amendment workplace that does not allow ICE agents to just come in grab co-workers.' They must have a warrant signed by a judge, specifically—not just a self-authorized warrant," said Augusta.
"Immigrants are game workers too. It is a critical matter. There has been this illusion that there are sort of privileged classes of immigrants, but we've seen that [idea] rapidly disintegrate. When we have academics getting snatched out of research labs, we as game workers should be protecting each other, and this is a way that we are trying to press forward on that initiative."
UVW-CWA organising committee chair Vlada M stressed the petition is trying to protect all employees at a workplace—not just those working directly on video games. Crucially, we're told that even if an employer refuses to comply, the petition will still have served a purpose by highlighting which companies are unwilling to follow the U.S. constitution.
As noted by the BBC, ICE is currently overseeing U.S. President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign and has made thousands of arrests since he returned to office. As of November 2025, there were reportedly 65,000 being held in ICE detention centres.
ICE agents have also been responsible for the fatal shootings of Minneapolis residents Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Another recent BBC report also indicates that U.S. citizen Ruben Ray Martinez was shot and killed by an immigration officer in Texas last year.
Augusta explained the 'We Don't Play With ICE' is being driven by union members who wished to find a way to act on their concerns.
"We obviously have a lot of immigrant workers that are members of UVW-CWA and at different CODE-CWA unions. Heading to GDC this year, there was this big anxiety of 'what is it going to be like? What is our actual level of safety as immigrants?' You know, at Summer Game Fest last year there was a big story about ICE raids during the event," said Augusta.
"We are just looking for tangible ways that we can contribute towards our member safety as a union. To any bosses, this is a very small ask. We're asking you to follow the existing constitution as it is written, and they shouldn't be afraid to be supportive of this."
Game Developer and GDC Festival of Gaming are sibling companies under Informa Festivals.
