The fatal shooting this weekend of a second American citizen by federal immigration agents in Minnesota has compelled corporate leaders to take a public stance against President Donald Trump's policies, a rare occurrence since his return to office last year. While the Trump administration has silently expanded its immigration crackdown for months, the recent deployment of thousands of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents in Minnesota has resulted in violent confrontations with protesters. The incident that seems to have sparked a change was the January 24 killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents, following which a significant number of Minnesota-based CEOs signed a letter urging an 'immediate de-escalation' of the situation.
This move marked a cautious step for business leaders who, despite their power and influence, have generally avoided directly naming the president, his policies, or the victim. Instead, they opted for a collective voice through a formal group message. Jeffery Sonnenfeld, a Yale School of Management professor, highlighted this caution, telling CNBC, 'They don't want to speak out alone because they fear retaliation,' pointing to past lawsuits and threats of regulatory scrutiny against corporations by Trump.
Amid subzero temperatures, protesters in Minneapolis took to the streets on January 23, 2026, advocating against the ongoing immigration enforcement efforts in the Twin Cities metro area. Prominent business figures have been increasingly vocal. Recently, JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon criticized the president's immigration policies, with additional remarks coming from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Apple CEO Tim Cook following Pretti's death. Altman's message to OpenAI staff emphasized resisting overreach and Apple’s Cook expressed personal devastation, calling for de-escalation and indicating private conversations with Trump.
While the president has hinted at a softer approach, mirroring the language used by the CEOs and maintaining 'very respectful' discussions with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, ICE agents remain in Minneapolis, with no clear timeline for withdrawal. As funding for the DHS faces opposition from Democrats threatening a partial government shutdown, Trump's altered rhetoric could be a strategic response to increasing tensions.
Ultimately, Pretti's death and the viral dissemination of his final moments underline that there are limits to the business community's compliance with the administration. Minneapolis, housing major corporations such as Target, UnitedHealth, and 3M, is emerging as a critical environment for evaluating how deeply corporate leaders will engage in political controversies amplified by an administration testing governmental powers.