As immigration raids swept through US workplaces last June, a group of Meta cafeteria workers in Bellevue, Washington, banded together. When Serigne, a Senegalese asylum seeker and his brother Abdoul Mbengue’s sibling, was detained by ICE, the staff sprang into action. Fundraising efforts from fellow tech company workers netted thousands of dollars to secure Serigne's release.

Among those contributing were Amazon employees who donated after hearing about the “nightmare” situation, highlighting how activism has shifted within the tech industry. While big firms previously supported protests against immigration bans, now it is the workers themselves who are stepping in with financial and administrative aid for their colleagues.

The case of Serigne’s release was just one battle in a broader struggle for worker rights at Meta. Over 60 percent of cafeteria staff at Meta’s Bellevue and Redmond locations recently requested unionization, but Lavish Roots, the catering company, has allegedly campaigned against it through various means. The workers are pushing back with their own legal defense funds and networks.

“I choose to fight,” Mbengue said, explaining his decision to join union organizing efforts after fleeing Senegal in 2023. His story is echoed by other activists who hope their success can inspire change within the tech industry.