Tech workers call for CEOs to speak up against ICE after the killing of Alex Pretti

Over 450 employees from prominent tech companies, including Google, Meta, OpenAI, Amazon, and Salesforce, have joined forces to advocate for their CEOs to take a stand against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They are calling for immediate action from the White House to cease ICE operations in urban areas across the United States. In an open letter circulated by IceOut.Tech, the signatories express their outrage, stating, "For months now, federal agents have been dispatched to our cities, instilling fear and criminalizing our communities, friends, and families." The letter highlights the intense federal operations in cities like Minneapolis, which have been described as resembling a military presence due to the aggressive tactics employed. The letter's urgency has intensified following the recent deaths of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen, and Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, both victims of ICE actions in Minneapolis. The tech workers’ initiative gained momentum over the weekend, with many choosing to remain anonymous due to fears of backlash. Several tech leaders have publicly condemned ICE's actions. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman criticized the agency's operations, calling them detrimental to individuals and communities, while Khosla Ventures founder Vinod Khosla described the current enforcement as "macho ICE vigilantes" operating without accountability. Jeff Dean, chief scientist at Google DeepMind, urged all individuals, regardless of their political views, to denounce the increasing violence. OpenAI's James Dyett expressed frustration at the lack of response from tech executives regarding ICE's conduct, highlighting a disparity in outrage over a wealth tax compared to the actions of masked agents. Despite some vocal opposition from within the tech community, many influential figures have remained largely silent or have sought to align themselves with the current administration. High-profile CEOs including Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai, and Mark Zuckerberg have previously attended Trump's inauguration and contributed to related funds but have yet to publicly address the surge in ICE activities. The letter not only calls for vocal opposition but also urges tech CEOs to sever all contracts with ICE, a potentially costly move since several firms, including Palantir and Clearview AI, have established significant partnerships with the agency. TechCrunch has reached out to these companies for comments on the matter.