Immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota over the weekend are now reverberating far beyond the state. Protesters are now forcing new questions about when, and how, corporate America chooses to speak up.
More than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies — including executives from Target, 3M, Best Buy and General Mills — signed and released an open letter organized by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce calling for calm and “an immediate de-escalation of tensions” — though the letter did not specifically call out ICE, nor did it directly criticize federal enforcement tactics.
That omission is drawing backlash from immigrant advocates and grassroots organizers, who are urging consumers to pressure or boycott companies they say do business with immigration enforcement agencies. Multiple calls for actions have been circulating online, listing corporations like Amazon, Fedex, and AT&T.
Organizers argue that corporate neutrality isn't neutral at all — that companies wield influence over policy through contracts, lobbying and public messaging, leaving companies to decide whether neutrality actually protects their brand, or if silence, or omission becomes its own statement.
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The delicate dance for corporations to balance corporate social responsibility has been a tough one over the last several years — some businesses choosing to step up and comment on political issues like the overturn of Roe v. Wade, siding with the desires of their customers. While more recently, we’ve seen some of these same companies pull back DEI initiatives at the request of the federal government, despite anger from consumers.
In a sharp contrast, several tech CEOs including Apple’s Tim Cook, were at the White House this weekend for a private-screen of a new Amazon-produced documentary about Melania Trump, underscoring how closely some business leaders remain tied to the administration.
