Immigration Crackdown Sparks CEO Outcry

Blue immigration law book with wooden gavel.

When the CEOs of Target, UnitedHealth, and 3M suddenly break their silence about federal law enforcement operations in their own backyard, you know something has gone catastrophically wrong.

Story Snapshot

More than 60 Minnesota CEOs, including leaders from Target, UnitedHealth, 3M, Best Buy, and General Mills, issued a public plea for immediate de-escalation after Border Patrol shot ICU nurse Alex Pretti on January 25, 2026
The business community had worked behind the scenes for weeks before going public, but two fatal shootings in three weeks forced their hand
The carefully worded letter avoids criticizing ICE directly while elected officials demand federal withdrawal, revealing a cautious corporate strategy
Attorney General Pam Bondi demanded Minnesota hand over voter rolls and public assistance records in exchange for restoring order, which state officials rejected as ransom

When Corporate Minnesota Finally Spoke Up

The release of the CEO letter on January 25, 2026, marked a turning point in Minnesota’s escalating immigration enforcement crisis. More than 60 chief executives from Fortune 500 companies and major sports franchises broke weeks of public silence to call for peaceful resolution. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce coordinated the effort, which included signatures from Target’s Michael Fiddelke, UnitedHealth’s Stephen Hemsley, and executives from Mayo Clinic, Medtronic, and all major Minnesota professional sports teams. Their statement urged local, state, and federal leaders to find a sustainable resolution allowing families, businesses, and communities to build a prosperous future.

The Shootings That Changed Everything

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, became the second person killed by federal agents in Minnesota within three weeks. Border Patrol shot him in south Minneapolis while he appeared to help a woman who had been pushed to the ground during immigration enforcement operations. Video evidence contradicted Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino’s later claims on CNN that Pretti intended to cause maximum harm. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus defended Pretti’s constitutional right to carry a firearm while exercising First Amendment rights, noting no evidence showed intent to harm officers.

Renee Good, a U.S. citizen, died on January 7 after an ICE agent shot her in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Timberwolves held a moment of silence before their game against Cleveland the following day. These weren’t isolated incidents. Federal immigration officers had detained young children, arrested U.S. citizens, and forcibly entered homes without judicial warrants throughout early January. The third shooting in the state during that month created a crisis the business community could no longer ignore from their boardrooms.

The Corporate Tightrope Walk

What the CEO letter didn’t say reveals as much as what it did. The business leaders stopped short of calling for ICE to leave Minnesota, despite Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey making exactly that demand. The executives emphasized focused cooperation and collaboration rather than confrontation with federal authorities. Fortune 500 companies had been working behind closed doors with Walz, the White House, Vice President JD Vance, and local mayors for several weeks before making their concerns public. This cautious approach stands in stark contrast to the direct language from elected officials.

The business community’s careful positioning makes strategic sense when you consider what’s at stake. These companies employ thousands of workers, manage complex supply chains, and need stability to operate. They face workforce concerns as immigration operations create uncertainty about employee safety and availability. Healthcare organizations like Mayo Clinic, HealthPartners, and Essentia Health signed the letter after watching one of their own, an ICU nurse, killed during enforcement operations. The postponement of a Timberwolves game and large anti-ICE rallies downtown demonstrated how civic unrest threatens normal business operations.

The Federal Demand Minnesota Rejected

Attorney General Pam Bondi created another flashpoint by conditioning federal assistance on Minnesota providing voter rolls and public assistance records. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon called this an unlawful request that amounted to ransom for the state’s peace and security. The Trump administration disregarded Walz’s requests for federal withdrawal, creating a constitutional standoff between state sovereignty and federal enforcement authority. This conflict over voter information and conditional federal cooperation sets a troubling precedent for how Washington might pressure states during policy disputes.

The specific solutions proposed by the CEOs remain unclear, and the timeline for implementation is undefined. What’s certain is that Minnesota’s business climate faces serious challenges if enforcement operations continue generating fatal confrontations and civil unrest. The state’s ability to attract talent and maintain its reputation as a Fortune 500 hub depends on resolving this crisis. Companies reliant on diverse workforces, particularly in healthcare and agriculture sectors represented by signatories like Cargill and General Mills, face operational uncertainty that threatens long-term investment decisions.

What This Means Beyond Minnesota

Minnesota’s business community mobilized previously after George Floyd’s death in 2020, establishing a pattern of corporate civic engagement during crises. This latest intervention carries different weight because it challenges federal rather than local authority. When executives from U.S. Bancorp, Xcel Energy, and nationally recognized healthcare institutions publicly question federal operations, it signals deep concern about governance and rule of law. The involvement of every major Minnesota sports franchise adds cultural weight to economic arguments about community stability and prosperity.

The fundamental question remains whether behind-the-scenes negotiation or public pressure will prove more effective. The CEOs chose both strategies, working privately for weeks before issuing their public statement. Their measured language suggests they still hope to maintain working relationships with federal authorities while advocating for change. Whether this approach succeeds depends on factors beyond Minnesota’s control, including the Trump administration’s willingness to modify enforcement tactics and federal-state relationships during periods of policy conflict. For now, Minnesota’s corporate leaders have placed their considerable economic influence on the side of de-escalation, even as the path forward remains uncertain.