'I’m heartbroken by the events in Minneapolis': how Tim Cook and other tech CEOs are responding to ICE

In the wake of the unrest in Minneapolis following the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by ICE agents, a few tech CEOs have begun to speak out about the Trump administration's policies, be it on social media or through internal communications with their employees.

While all of the statements have expressed dismay at the situation, most — such as the one from Apple CEO Tim Cook — have called for de-escalation, rather than condemning the actions of ICE outright.

Apple's Tim Cook: 'This is a time for deescalation'

On Tuesday (Jan. 27), Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, issued a statement to employees saying he was "heartbroken" at the events unfolding in Minnesota, and called for a "deescalation."

"I’m heartbroken by the events in Minneapolis, and my prayers and deepest sympathies are with the families, with the communities, and with everyone that’s been affected.

"This is a time for deescalation. I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they’re from, and when we embrace our shared humanity. This is something Apple has always advocated for. I had a good conversation with the president this week where I shared my views, and I appreciate his openness to engaging on issues that matter to us all.

"I know this is very emotional and challenging for so many. I am proud of how deeply our teams care about the world beyond our walls. That empathy is one of Apple’s greatest strengths and it is something I believe we all cherish.

Thank you for all that you do."

Cook has faced criticism from employees after attending a private screening of "Melania" at the White House, along with Andy Jassy from Amazon and Lisa Su from AMD, the evening that Pretti was killed.

OpenAI's Sam Altman: 'What’s happening with ICE is going too far'

Earlier on Monday, OpenAI Sam Altman wrote to his employees on an internal Slack message that ICE has "gone too far," and vowed that his company would strive to "try to figure out how to actually do the right thing."

Here's the full text of his message, as reported by The New York Times:

"I love the US and its values of democracy and freedom and will be supportive of the country however I can; OpenAI will too. But part of loving the country is the American duty to push back against overreach. What’s happening with ICE is going too far. There is a big difference between deporting violent criminals and what’s happening now, and we need to get the distinction right.

"President Trump is a very strong leader, and I hope he will rise to this moment and unite the country. I am encouraged by the last few hours of response and hope to see trust rebuilt with transparent investigations.

"As a company, we aim to stick to our convictions and not get blown around by changing fashions too much. We didn’t become super woke when that was popular, we didn’t start talking about masculine corporate energy when that was popular, and we are not going to make a lot of performative statements now about safety or politics or anything else. But we are going to continue to try to figure out how to actually do the right thing as best as we can, engage with leaders and push for our values, and speak up clearly about it as needed."

Anthropic's Dario Amodi: 'The horror we're seeing'

Another executive to speak out was Anthropic's cofounder Chris Olah, who wrote on X that "a federal agent killing an ICU nurse for seemingly no reason and with no provocation – shock the conscience."

Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei also referenced "the horror we're seeing in Minnesota" on X, before linking to an essay on the risks of AI to national security, economies, and democracy.

Vinod Khosla: "Macho ICE vigilantes running amuck"

Vinod Khosla, the founder of venture capital firm Khosla Ventures, which has funded such companies as OpenAI, DoorDash, and Instacart, was one of the more vociferous voices, writing on X that the video was "sickening to watch."

Target and Best Buy weigh in

On Sunday, the CEOs of 60 Minnesota-based companies, which include Target and Best Buy, issued an open letter, calling for "an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions."

An open letter to tech CEOs

Cook and Altman are the rare exceptions among tech leaders to comment on the Trump administration's controversial tactics when it comes to deporting illegal immigrants. An open letter, signed by more than 800 employees from companies such as Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, have urged their executives to condemn the administration's policies.

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