Zuckerberg Cuts Ties With FWD.us as Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Shifts From Immigration Advocacy to Science
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative ends funding for pro-immigration group, signaling a broader pivot to science and biomedical research.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative formally ended its relationship with FWD.us earlier this year, marking the first time since its 2013 founding that Mark Zuckerberg or his philanthropic vehicles had severed funding to the immigration advocacy group. The move underscores a broader reorientation of the Zuckerbergs’ philanthropy away from political advocacy toward science and biomedical research, even as immigration policy remains a contentious issue in Washington.
Details of the split show the separation became formal in April, when FWD.us removed CZI from its internal bylaws, according to a tax filing reviewed by Bloomberg News. The development leaves FWD.us without funding from Zuckerberg, Chan or CZI for the first time in its history. Jordan Fox, CZI’s chief of staff, had already stepped down from FWD.us’ board earlier this year.
CZI says it has been in a years-long transition away from political and social advocacy, narrowing its mission to science and biomedical research. A network of research centers known as the Biohub is now the philanthropy’s primary focus, according to a spokesperson.
The pivot comes as Zuckerberg’s corporate and philanthropic fleets undergo sweeping changes amid Donald Trump’s return to power. Meta Platforms Inc. this year dismantled certain diversity programs and updated its policies on hate speech, allowing more leeway in immigration contexts. The broader restructuring within Zuckerberg’s empire includes winding down social-advocacy funding and reducing the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
A review of FWD.us’s funding history shows that, since its founding, more than half of the roughly $400 million donated to the group flowed through Zuckerberg’s philanthropic vehicles, though the total does not include direct gifts Zuckerberg or Chan made before CZI was created. Zuckerberg stepped down from FWD.us’s board in 2018, as Meta faced mounting scrutiny over data privacy and election interference, but CZI continued funding the group through 2024. Conversations about financial independence had accelerated in late 2022, and the organization began actively courting new donors while tightening its budget. Between 2022 and 2024, funding from non-CZI sources increased by three to four times, according to Bloomberg News.
Major donors in recent years have included the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Open Society Foundations and Michael Moritz’s Crankstart Foundation, which contributed more than $1 million. FWD.us president Todd Schulte said the group has seen a surge of new and existing donor support this year, allowing it to respond to what he described as escalating attacks on immigrant communities and to continue pushing immigration and criminal justice reform. “Our focus remains on advancing pragmatic, bipartisan solutions that strengthen the economy and make the immigration and criminal justice systems work better,” Schulte said. “That mission hasn’t changed, and it’s what continues to guide our strategy, our advocacy, and our partnerships.”
This year, the Trump administration has launched a sweeping immigration crackdown, including arrests, deportations, travel restrictions and new efforts to limit temporary workers and lawful permanent residents. The change at FWD.us comes as Zuckerberg’s broader strategy emphasizes science and biomedical research through Biohub and related initiatives, rather than political advocacy.
For FWD.us, the loss of its most significant funding source arrives at a precarious moment, even as the organization reports a renewed donor pipeline. The group says it will continue pursuing immigration and criminal-justice reform through data-driven advocacy and policy analysis, aiming to demonstrate economic benefits and social outcomes of reform. In the face of a shifting political and philanthropic landscape, Schulte and his team say the organization intends to remain a pragmatic, bipartisan voice on key policy issues that affect the tech sector’s ability to attract and retain talent.
The broader reality, as noted by observers, is that major donors in recent years helped sustain FWD.us during periods of tense political headwinds, while Zuckerberg’s personal and philanthropic footprint increasingly concentrates on science, technology and health. Still, the immigration debate remains highly salient for the tech industry, which relies on foreign workers and global talent pools. The timing of the shift—coming as immigration enforcement intensifies—adds a layer of complexity to how tech leaders navigate public policy and corporate social responsibility.
As FWD.us pivots to diversify its donor base, its leadership emphasizes data-driven arguments and economic analysis to frame reform. The organization has sought to demonstrate how immigration and criminal-justice policy affect innovation, job growth and competitiveness, even as it operates with reduced backing from a single, high-profile donor. The long-term effect of CZI’s withdrawal on FWD.us’s influence remains a developing story, as the group continues to pursue bipartisan solutions in a polarized political environment.
