Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, established the immigration advocacy organization FWD.us in 2013 during Barack Obama's presidency. The group aimed to promote pathways to citizenship for skilled and diligent individuals irrespective of their birthplace. However, in 2025, amid Donald Trump's return to the White House and his stringent immigration agenda, Zuckerberg's charitable entity, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), has terminated its association with FWD.us.
According to a Bloomberg report from Friday, CZI has withheld financial support from FWD.us for the first time in 2025. Prior to this, CZI had supplied more than half of the approximately $400 million in contributions the nonprofit received since its inception in 2013.
Furthermore, Jordan Fox, chief of staff at CZI, has stepped down from the FWD.us board of directors. CZI will not appoint a successor to the position, marking an unprecedented development for the organization focused on immigration and justice reform.
A CZI representative told Engadget that this shift was planned several years in advance. About five years earlier, the initiative announced a concentration on its primary areas of science, education, and community support in the Bay Area. As part of this refocus, CZI extended initial funding to enable FWD.us to sustain its cross-party efforts. That obligation has now been met, leading to the cessation of grants for social advocacy. The representative noted that the couple's Biohub project represents their main philanthropic endeavor at present.
In late 2024, Zuckerberg held a discussion with Stephen Miller, an advisor to President-elect Trump. During the meeting, Miller reportedly raised concerns regarding Zuckerberg's connection to FWD.us.
These discussions appear to have influenced Zuckerberg's decisions. In January 2025, prior to Trump's inauguration for his second term, Meta implemented significant policy changes. The company discontinued its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. It also ceased partnerships with external fact-checking services, deeming them overly partisan. Policy updates now permit derogatory remarks related to immigration and LGBTQ+ matters. Additionally, Meta appointed Dana White, a prominent Trump supporter, to its board of directors.
This move aligns with a larger trend among major technology firms adapting to the incoming administration.
In a January interview with The New York Times, Zuckerberg explained the rationale behind these adjustments. He described the evolving regulatory environment, which considers policies benefiting specific demographics as potentially illegal, necessitating changes across institutions.
During a January earnings call with investors, Zuckerberg expressed positive expectations for the new U.S. leadership. He highlighted its support for top American corporations, emphasis on advancing U.S. technology globally, and commitment to national priorities. Zuckerberg anticipated substantial advancements and creativity in the coming year.
These recent statements contrast sharply with Zuckerberg's remarks from 2013, when he described the challenges faced by talented immigrant youth raised in the U.S. but lacking equal opportunities as a profound civil rights concern.
Even with the loss of CZI's backing, FWD.us plans to persist in its mission. In a prepared remark, President Todd Schulte expressed appreciation for both longstanding and recent contributors, including a surge of new backers this year. This support will enable the group to advocate for vulnerable immigrants and pursue enduring reforms in immigration and criminal justice systems.
This article incorporates a statement from a Chan Zuckerberg Initiative spokesperson, added on December 19, 2025, at 1:19 p.m. PT.