Paris, February 1, 2026, 14:27 (CET)
- Capgemini announced plans to sell its U.S. unit, Capgemini Government Solutions, following scrutiny tied to an ICE-related contract.
- The company pointed out that U.S. legal restrictions related to classified federal projects curtailed its control over the unit.
- Capgemini stated the subsidiary represents roughly 0.4% of its projected 2025 revenue and under 2% of its U.S. revenue.
Capgemini announced it will sell its U.S. subsidiary, Capgemini Government Solutions, following pressure from French lawmakers over a contract tied to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The company plans to begin the divestment “immediately,” citing U.S. regulations on classified work that, according to Capgemini, hindered “appropriate control” of parts of the unit’s operations. CGS accounts for about 0.4% of Capgemini’s estimated 2025 revenue and less than 2% of its U.S. revenue. (Reuters)
This shift is less about the cash and more about the politics. Even a minor, niche contract can quickly snowball into a corporate headache if the client agency faces intense public scrutiny.
This also highlights a tricky structural issue for foreign-owned contractors in the U.S. Security regulations can isolate a subsidiary from its parent company, shielding the parent from direct control or insight while still exposing it to the consequences.
Last week on LinkedIn, CEO Aiman Ezzat revealed the company found out “through public sources” about a contract ICE within the Department of Homeland Security awarded in December 2025. He noted, “The nature and scope of this work has raised questions.” Ezzat also pointed out the unit operates under a Special Security Agreement that enforces separate governance and prevents the parent company from accessing classified info or technical operations. (LinkedIn)
Capgemini hasn’t disclosed any potential buyers or set a timeline for the sale. Instead, the company seems to be betting that selling off is a cleaner move than trying to maintain a governance setup that intentionally keeps the parent company at a distance.
CGS has delivered “skip-tracing” services for ICE, which involves tracking down individuals by blending data analysis with investigative efforts. The Financial Times reported that Capgemini secured $12.2 million in skip-tracing contracts during Trump’s first term, along with $2.5 million for earlier data support tasks. The company also stated that a December ICE contract isn’t currently active. (Financial Times)
Such work is standard in areas like collections and fraud detection. But in immigration enforcement, those same tools take on a very different role, often backing detention or deportation efforts.
In France, the controversy spilled into the public eye. Le Monde reported that the company was grilled in parliament and faced government demands for transparency before it confirmed the sale, adding that the process would start immediately. (Le Monde.fr)
This could still get complicated. Selling a contractor that serves U.S. federal agencies often drags on, and shifting contracts demands “novation” — official government consent to hand over a contract to a new owner — plus security clearances and approval from the customer.
Capgemini goes head-to-head with global IT and consulting giants like Accenture and IBM on major outsourcing and transformation deals. Though the CGS unit is relatively small, this incident highlights how swiftly a specialized government contract can become entangled with politics, impacting the risk profile of a publicly traded company.
