A former Thomson Reuters editor has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the company, alleging illegal termination after raising concerns about its Clear surveillance tool's use by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Billie Little claims she was fired in March after organizing an internal committee and writing an open letter about how the company's data products may be facilitating unlawful immigration enforcement.

This legal challenge comes alongside mounting investor pressure. The British Columbia General Employees' Union has filed a shareholder resolution demanding a human rights assessment of Thomson Reuters' products' use by ICE. The company's Clear tool, which aggregates data from utility bills, vehicle registrations, and credit reports, is central to a $4.8 million ICE contract renewed in May 2025. Courts have documented ICE agents using Clear's license plate reader data to randomly scan vehicles and identify undocumented immigrants.

Thomson Reuters maintains it has "strong safeguards" and disputes the allegations, recommending shareholders vote against the independent assessment. The company argues such an evaluation would be "duplicative and an inefficient use of shareholder resources." However, the convergence of legal action and investor activism highlights growing scrutiny of tech companies' roles in controversial government surveillance programs, particularly as multiple states prohibit using vehicle registration data for immigration enforcement.