At a Glance
- 450+ tech employees from Google, Meta, OpenAI, Amazon and Salesforce sign a letter demanding CEOs call the White House to stop ICE operations in U.S. cities.
- The letter cites violent raids in Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Chicago, and calls for the cancellation of company contracts with ICE.
- Some tech leaders, such as Reid Hoffman and Vinod Khosla, have spoken out; others have remained silent.
Why it matters: The move marks an unprecedented collective stance by tech workers against federal immigration enforcement, potentially influencing corporate policy and public debate.
The letter, signed by more than 450 employees from major tech firms, calls on their CEOs to pressure the White House to end ICE raids in U.S. cities. The letter highlights violent incidents in Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Chicago and urges companies to cancel contracts with ICE.
Massive Tech Letter Urges CEOs to Act
The open letter, issued by the coalition IceOut.Tech, reads:
> “For months now, Trump has sent federal agents to our cities to criminalize us, our neighbors, friends, colleagues, and family members,” the letter states. “From Minneapolis to Los Angeles to Chicago, we’ve seen armed and masked thugs bring reckless violence, kidnapping, terror and cruelty with no end in sight.”
The letter was drafted after ICE agents shot and killed U.S. citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis three weeks ago, and was amplified following the shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, by Border Patrol agents.
The organizers did not disclose their names, and many signers chose anonymity out of fear of retribution.
ICE Operations in Minneapolis
Minneapolis has become the focal point of a large-scale federal immigration operation. Tactics used there have been described as a military occupation. The operation has involved:
- Pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, and sound cannons used indiscriminately by federal agents.
- Confrontations with community members protesting the raids.
- Reports of kidnapping, terror and cruelty.
The letter notes that when Trump threatened to send the National Guard to San Francisco in October, tech industry leaders called the White House. The threat was withdrawn.
Tech Leaders Respond
Several tech leaders have already spoken out:
- Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder, said the way ICE operates is “terrible for the people.”
- Vinod Khosla, Khosla Ventures founder, called the enforcement “macho ICE vigilantes running amuck empowered by a conscious-less administration.”
- Jeff Dean, Google DeepMind chief scientist, urged people of all political affiliations to denounce the escalation of violence.
- James Dyett, OpenAI head of global business, posted on X that “there is far more outrage from tech leaders over a wealth tax than masked ICE agents terrorizing communities.”
In contrast, leaders such as Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai and Mark Zuckerberg have remained largely silent about the raids, despite attending Trump’s inauguration and donating to his fund.
Industry Contracts and Financial Stakes
The letter also calls on CEOs to cancel all contracts with ICE. Several tech firms currently hold such agreements:
| Company | Current ICE Contract | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Palantir | AI-driven surveillance platform “ImmigrationOS” | $30 million |
| Clearview AI | Facial-matching technology | Contract value not disclosed |
| Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Oracle | Cloud infrastructure and IT services | Multiple contracts |
These contracts represent a significant financial stake for the companies involved.
Calls for Corporate Action
The letter urges companies to:
- Call the White House and demand ICE leave U.S. cities.
- Cancel contracts with ICE.
- Publicly denounce the escalation of violence.
The letter also highlights that the tech industry can make a difference. It cites the successful pressure applied in October that led to a retreat by the administration.
Key Takeaways
- A coalition of over 450 tech workers has issued a letter demanding corporate and governmental action against ICE raids.
- Violent incidents in Minneapolis and other cities are cited as catalysts.
- Several tech leaders have spoken out, while many remain silent.
- Contracts between tech firms and ICE are substantial, with Palantir’s $30 million deal as a notable example.
- The letter seeks to mobilize the tech industry to influence policy and public perception.
The letter’s impact remains to be seen, but it signals a growing willingness among tech employees to challenge federal immigration enforcement.
