'Hottest and most lucrative': How members of Congress are profiting off this Trump policy

Several members of Congress have quietly cashed in on Palantir Technologies, as the company’s government contracts —particularly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — have surged.

In a piece for The Bulwark published Tuesday, journalist Joe Perticone dubbed the company “one of the hottest and most lucrative stock picks on Capitol Hill."

According to recent financial disclosures, the author noted, at least six lawmakers purchased Palantir stock in early 2025, timing their buys just before the company secured multi‑million‑dollar deals with ICE and other federal agencies.

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Among those listed are Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Gilbert Cisneros (D-Calif.), James Comer (R-Ky.) and others serving on committees related to homeland security or national defense.

Greene is said to have bought $1,000–$15,000 of Palantir shares on April 7 and 8 — just days before ICE announced a nearly $30 million contract for a new deportation surveillance system. Her investment quickly paid off: shares jumped roughly 48% in the weeks following the announcement.

Aside from lawmakers, a high-ranking White House aide also maintains connections to the firm.A recent report from the Project on Government Oversight reveals that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller holds up to $250,000 in Palantir stock. This means that the central architect of the administration’s aggressive deportation policies is personally profiting from the company that those very policies help boost.

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Ethics specialists warn that Miller’s role with ICE operations, combined with his financial interest in Palantir, represent a troubling conflict of interest.Palantir has come under fire in recent months — not only for its expansive access to government databases but also because lawmakers from both parties and former staff members have expressed growing concern about privacy implications stemming from its ICE collaborations.

Palantir, founded by Peter Thiel in 2003, has deepened its ties to enforcement agencies in recent years.

Its Gotham and Foundry platforms manage vast government datasets. In April alone, ICE reportedly awarded the firm a $29.9 million contract for a deportation-prioritization system. That award came without competing bids — a move some say amplifies concerns over corporate favoritism.

Meanwhile, ICE continues its nationwide raids and roundups. According to a recent report, the number of immigrants held by ICE in the huge white tent camp in far Northeast El Paso has skyrocketed — from fewer than 100 to over 900 in just days.

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