Additional Coverage:
- The CEOs of Minnesota’s largest companies call for ‘de-escalation’ of tensions after second fatal ICE shooting (businessinsider.com)
Minnesota’s Top Business Leaders Urge Calm After Second Fatal Shooting by Federal Agents
Minneapolis, MN – Following a second fatal shooting involving federal agents, Minnesota’s most influential business leaders are making a unified plea for peace and de-escalation, urging government officials to find a swift resolution to the escalating tensions in the Twin Cities.
A letter distributed Sunday by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, signed by over 60 CEOs from prominent Minnesota-based companies, underscored the urgent need for stability. Among the notable signatories were the heads of corporate giants such as Target’s Michael Fiddelke, 3M’s William Brown, Cargill’s Brian Sikes, General Mills’ Jeff Harmening, and UnitedHealth Group’s Stephen Hemsley, alongside leaders from Allianz Life Insurance Company.
Further demonstrating the breadth of concern, several of Minnesota’s professional sports teams, including the Timberwolves, Lynx, Vikings, United FC, and Wild, also lent their names to the appeal.
The letter explicitly called for “an immediate de-escalation of tensions” and emphasized the critical need for state, local, and federal officials to “work together to find real solutions.”
“In this difficult moment for our community, we call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state, and federal leaders to achieve a swift and durable solution that enables families, businesses, our employees, and communities across Minnesota to resume our work to build a bright and prosperous future,” the letter stated.
This urgent appeal comes on the heels of the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse at the local Veterans Affairs hospital, who was killed by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday morning. Pretti was reportedly filming federal immigration agents when the confrontation occurred.
Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul have been hotbeds of protest since the Department of Homeland Security began deploying immigration agents to the cities in December. The situation intensified significantly after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good on January 7.
The Trump administration’s immigration policies have consistently sparked heated debate, particularly among business and technology leaders. While some have sought to maintain favor with the administration, a growing chorus of employees and a few outspoken executives are now challenging current actions.
A petition titled “Tech demands ICE out of our cities,” boasting over 250 signatures, urges tech leaders to directly contact the White House to demand ICE’s withdrawal from cities and to cancel any existing contracts with the agency. A significant portion of the signatories identified themselves as employees of Amazon and Google.
Following the most recent fatal shooting, some business and tech leaders took to social media to voice their concerns. Billionaire hedge fund owner Bill Ackman called for calm but placed blame on Minnesota state officials for provoking the violence.
James Dyett, an executive at OpenAI, criticized the tech community’s perceived silence, writing on X, “There is far more outrage from tech leaders over a wealth tax than masked ICE agents terrorizing communities and executing civilians in the streets. Tells you what you need to know about the values of our industry.”