Tech Workers Demand CEOs Condemn ICE Following Alex Pretti's Killing

Over 450 technology professionals from leading firms including Google, Meta, OpenAI, Amazon, and Salesforce have endorsed a collective letter urging their chief executives to contact the White House and demand the withdrawal of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel from American urban centers.

"For months, the Trump administration has deployed federal agents into our communities, targeting our neighbors, friends, colleagues, and relatives," states the open letter from IceOut.Tech. "From Minneapolis to Los Angeles to Chicago, we've witnessed masked, heavily armed agents unleashing unchecked brutality, kidnappings, and terror across our cities."

Minneapolis has become the epicenter of an extensive federal immigration initiative, employing such aggressive methods that many residents describe it as a military occupation. The operation has sparked repeated clashes between federal agents and community protesters, with law enforcement widely using crowd control measures including pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, and acoustic weapons.

"This situation cannot persist, and we believe the technology sector has the power to intervene," the letter continues. "When President Trump threatened to deploy the National Guard to San Francisco last October, technology executives made direct appeals to the White House. Their intervention succeeded—the administration reversed course."

The mobilization among technology workers gained momentum after ICE agents fatally shot U.S. citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis three weeks ago, with support expanding further following the Border Patrol shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital.

The letter's organizers have chosen to remain anonymous, and many signatories have likewise concealed their identities due to concerns about potential retaliation. TechCrunch has requested additional details from those involved.

Several prominent technology figures have already condemned federal operations in Minneapolis. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman described ICE's methods as "devastating for communities," while Khosla Ventures founder Vinod Khosla characterized current enforcement as "rogue ICE agents running wild under an administration without conscience." Google DeepMind's chief scientist Jeff Dean urged "individuals across the political spectrum" to condemn the escalating violence. OpenAI's global business head James Dyett criticized industry silence, posting on X that "technology leaders express greater outrage over proposed wealth taxes than masked ICE agents terrorizing neighborhoods."

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Tickets are live! Save up to $680 while these rates last, and be among the first 500 registrants to get 50% off your +1 pass. TechCrunch Disrupt brings top leaders from Google Cloud, Netflix, Microsoft, Box, a16z, Hugging Face, and more to 250+ sessions designed to fuel growth and sharpen your edge. Connect with hundreds of innovative startups and join curated networking that drives deals, insights, and inspiration.

Signal President Meredith Whittaker expressed dismay that masked agents are "conducting extrajudicial executions in public streets while influential officials deliberately mislead the public. To every technology professional who has ever professed belief in liberty—summon the courage of your principles and take a stand."

Nevertheless, many of the most influential technology executives have not only remained silent regarding the Trump administration's policies but have actively sought to cultivate relationships with the president. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg all attended President Trump's inauguration and contributed to the inauguration fund either personally or through their corporations. None have publicly addressed the intensification of ICE operations.

OpenAI president Greg Brockman and his wife Anna have also been notable donors to organizations and political figures aligned with President Trump and have avoided public commentary on the matter. Consistent with his immigration stance, Elon Musk has openly endorsed ICE activities, describing protesters as "fundamentally malicious."

The letter further demands that technology CEOs terminate all corporate agreements with ICE—a potentially costly proposition given that multiple technology companies maintain active contracts with the agency. Palantir stands as one of ICE's most important technology collaborators, having secured a $30 million contract last year to develop an AI-powered monitoring system called "ImmigrationOS." Facial recognition specialist Clearview AI also entered into an agreement to supply ICE with facial-matching capabilities. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Oracle additionally provide cloud computing resources and IT services to both the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.

TechCrunch has contacted these companies seeking commentary.

Have confidential information or sensitive documents? Our reporting explores the internal dynamics of the artificial intelligence sector—from the corporations shaping its trajectory to individuals affected by their choices. Contact Rebecca Bellan at [email protected] or Russell Brandom at [email protected]. For secure correspondence, reach them via Signal at @rebeccabellan.491 and @russellbrandom.49.