EL PASO — A former Meta employee, laid off on May 20, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to internal company communications. Meta employees believe the detention occurred in El Paso, Texas.
A current Meta employee shared details of the detention on an internal messaging board focused on immigration. The post was marked as urgent and tagged two Meta executives responsible for immigration issues and employee risk. Meta spokesperson Dave Arnold declined to comment on the incident.
The May workforce reduction by Meta affected approximately 8,000 employees, nearly 10 percent of its total workforce. The company stated this reduction aimed to improve operational efficiency and support artificial intelligence infrastructure development. Many international employees at U.S. technology companies utilize H-1B visas, which permit companies to employ skilled foreign workers and are legally tied to a specific sponsoring employer.
Foreign workers who find new employment are sometimes required to update their immigration documentation. This process can necessitate departing and reentering the United States. El Paso, Texas, is near a major U.S.-Mexico border crossing, with Ciudad Juárez located directly across the border. Ciudad Juárez hosts one of the largest U.S. consular offices in the region. The specific federal agency involved in the employee's detention has not been publicly confirmed.
Meta workers have formally requested that the company cover legal fees for immigrant staff and contractors who might face enforcement actions. Employees have also asked the company to allow staff to avoid physical office locations when immigration officers could be conducting operations nearby. Meta employees are currently organizing to provide financial and logistical assistance to U.S.-based colleagues navigating immigration complications.