Target, UnitedHealth, 3M, General Mills CEOs finally spoke up about ICE after weeks of silence. Here’s what they said

For weeks, the leaders of Minnesota’s most prominent businesses have remained tight-lipped as thousands of ICE agents have flooded the Twin Cities, where those agents have raided residential neighborhoods, detained employees from local businesses, and taken multiple schoolchildren in broad daylight.

Now, over the weekend, more than 60 Minnesota-based CEOs finally spoke out against ICE in a brief collective letter. 

The 200-word letter was released on January 25 by Minnesota’s Chamber of Commerce. It came the day after a U.S. Border Patrol officer shot and killed Minneapolis resident and ICU nurse Alex Pretti, and weeks after the death of Minneapolis writer Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent on January 7.

In the letter, the business leaders call for “an immediate deescalation of tensions,” and for “state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions.” 

But, for many Minnesotans, this response is too little, too late.

A culture of corporate silence

Just a few years ago, it was fairly commonplace for major companies to speak out about social justice—to varying degrees of actual commitment and impact.

In the summer of 2020, during President The President’s first term, Minnesota-based companies including General Mills, Target, Best Buy, Cargill, UnitedHealth Group, 3M, and Land O’Lakes all offered statements in the immediate wake of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. But now, during The President’s second term, corporate silence has become the norm as companies opt to remain mute on critical issues rather than attracting the The President administration’s ire.

Until recently, the above companies have failed to speak up amidst large-scale ICE raids in their home state. Earlier this month, Fast Company writer Joe Berkowitz reached out to all of them regarding ICE’s presence in Minneapolis, and received radio silence. Meanwhile, small businesses in the community were actively responding to the situation by condemning ICE and setting up fundraisers for affected residents. 

Now, though, it seems that major Minnesotan companies finally feel that silence is no longer a viable path forward. Their new letter was signed by CEOs from all of the aforementioned companies, as well as others like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, the Minnesota Vikings, Xcel Energy, and more.

“The business community in Minnesota prides itself in providing leadership and solving problems to ensure a strong and vibrant state,” the letter starts. “The recent challenges facing our state have created widespread disruption and tragic loss of life.”

It continues, “In this difficult moment for our community, we call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state and federal leaders to achieve a swift and durable solution that enables families, businesses, our employees, and communities across Minnesota to resume our work to build a bright and prosperous future.”

Notably, the letter never actually references ICE or U.S. Border Patrol by name, and only acknowledges Pretti’s death as “yesterday’s tragic news.”

Too little, too late

So far, some commenters online have expressed their gratitude to these companies for coming forward. But the overwhelming response has been dominated by people who are incredulous at the statement’s timing—and its lack of direct language.

“I’d argue this isn’t even ‘breaking silence,’” one comment under a post from The Minnesota Star Tribune reads. “This statement essentially says nothing. They are just speaking out to avoid criticism.”

A second comment noted, “It reads with the subtext ‘please let’s all calm down so we can make money again’ PASS.”

And a third user added, “Y’all have the resources to do more than write a letter. Pause operations for a week, pay your employees anyway, go to DC and take an actual risk. Small businesses stood 10 toes down and lost revenue on Friday while yall stayed open. Leadership isn’t just about bts conversations . . . it’s also about using your leverage. So use it.”

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