Overview
- On Jan. 25, more than 60 Minnesota-based CEOs, including Target, UnitedHealth Group, Best Buy and 3M, urged an immediate de‑escalation, drawing criticism for avoiding immigration and not condemning Alex Pretti’s shooting.
- Over 800 tech workers signed an open letter condemning the Border Patrol’s killing of Pretti and the surge of federal agents in U.S. cities.
- A handful of leaders spoke out individually, from General Catalyst’s Hemant Taneja and AI researcher Chris Olah to Apple’s Tim Cook and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, while JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon pressed for a calmer immigration approach.
- Advisers describe a tipping point that pushes CEOs to act together rather than alone to blunt political retaliation and preserve influence.
- Communications and ethics experts urge companies to pair any statement with concrete support for employees, including legal aid, resource hubs, policy guidance and flexible work options.