Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Halts Support for Pro-Immigration Group

The charitable branch of Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, known as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), has ceased its financial backing for FWD.us, an advocacy group focused on immigration that Zuckerberg helped establish in 2013.

This development marks a notable transition within CZI, aligning with Zuckerberg’s evolving public stance since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. For the first time in 2025, CZI opted not to fund FWD.us, a decision confirmed by sources familiar with the situation.

The gradual move away from funding began around the end of 2022, with CZI shifting its interests towards scientific endeavors, leading to a formal end of support by April 2025, as initially reported by Bloomberg.

Five years prior, CZI had announced its intention to refocus on key areas such as science, education, and community support. As part of this strategic shift, initial funding was allocated to FWD.us to aid their bipartisan objectives, but CZI has since completed its commitments and is phasing out social advocacy financing.

Moreover, Jordan Fox, previously the chief of staff at CZI, recently vacated his position on the board of FWD.us and will not be succeeded by any CZI affiliate.

Despite these changes, Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, emphasized that the organization remains committed to fostering effective, bipartisan resolutions in immigration and justice system reforms.

Zuckerberg played a pivotal role in the creation of FWD.us, launching the initiative with a public editorial. The group had the backing of several eminent tech figures such as LinkedIn's Reid Hoffman, Google's Eric Schmidt, Dropbox's Drew Houston, and venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya.

In 2024, Zuckerberg engaged in discussions with Stephen Miller, an advisor to Trump, who expressed concerns regarding CZI’s links to FWD.us.

Since Trump's election, Zuckerberg’s interactions have expanded, including attending dinners with Trump and contributing financially to his inauguration and the refurbishment of a White House ballroom.

Actions perceived as efforts to align with Trump's administration include Zuckerberg’s earlier reversal on social media policies criticized by conservatives. This year saw Meta replace external fact-checking with community-based notes and loosen up regulations on hate speech. Additionally, Zuckerberg committed Meta to significant U.S. investment in September.

With the CZI's new focus announced in November, Zuckerberg and Chan have redirected efforts toward scientific and AI advancements. Currently, their philanthropy is centered on Biohub, a network of biological research labs benefiting from CZI support since 2016.

In discussing CZI’s recruitment strategies, Chan highlighted their technological assets, especially in GPUs, which remain a greater priority than expanding staff or physical office spaces, according to Zuckerberg.