Why tech workers are demanding CEOs break their silence after the death of Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by Tech Crunch, click this post to read the original article.

More than 450 tech workers from major companies like Google, Meta, OpenAI, Amazon, and Salesforce have signed an open letter urging their CEOs to take a stand against the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in American cities. These workers are asking company leaders to call the White House and demand ICE’s withdrawal, citing the agency’s aggressive actions that they say have terrorized communities. The letter, released by advocacy group IceOut.Tech, describes ICE operations as violent and oppressive, particularly in cities like Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

You can see how tensions have escalated following recent incidents where ICE and Border Patrol agents fatally shot civilians in Minneapolis. These events have sparked outrage within the tech community and helped mobilize this internal campaign. Many signatories chose to remain anonymous, fearing professional retaliation, while others openly criticized the growing violence. The letter also referenced a recent example where coordinated action from tech leaders successfully convinced former President Trump to reverse a decision to send the National Guard into San Francisco.

Some prominent voices in tech have already spoken out. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, DeepMind’s Jeff Dean, and Signal President Meredith Whittaker have all condemned ICE’s actions. However, you’ll notice that many top executives — including Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai, and Mark Zuckerberg — have remained silent. Some, like Elon Musk, have even expressed support for ICE, aligning with anti-immigrant sentiments.

In addition to urging CEOs to contact the White House, the letter calls on companies to cancel any existing contracts with ICE. This poses a significant financial challenge, as many tech firms, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Oracle, provide critical infrastructure or services to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. Palantir and Clearview AI are among the biggest contractors, offering surveillance tools and facial recognition technology.

As a tech industry professional or observer, you might find this moment pivotal. It reflects not only growing internal dissent but also increasing pressure on tech leaders to take ethical stands. Whether silence or action prevails could shape public trust in the industry’s values and its role in broader social issues.