Executive directors of Target, Best Buy, General Mills and Cargill were among more than 60 large Minnesota companies that released a public letter on Sunday 25th calling for an “immediate reduction in tensions” in the state.
The letter marks the first time that Minnesota’s most recognized companies have spoken out about the turmoil in Minneapolis, amid an aggressive crackdown by federal immigration agents that has triggered widespread protests across the city.
The document came a day after federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, a nurse at the city’s veterans hospital, as he was restrained on a Minneapolis sidewalk.
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“With this tragic news, we are calling for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and for state, local and federal authorities to work together to find real solutions,” the letter states.
The text was signed by the top executives of Minnesota’s largest companies and major hospital systems, including Land O’ Lakes, Hormel, US Bancorp, Mayo Clinic and 3M. He was also signed by local sports teams: Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Wild.
The letter draws attention because many CEOs have sought to avoid speaking out on politically sensitive issues during the second Trump administration. On Friday the 23rd, hundreds of small businesses in the Minneapolis region closed their doors in support of protests against the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the city.
The letter was released by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 6,000 businesses across the state.
Hours later, Josh Bolten, CEO of the Business Roundtable, an association of more than 200 CEOs of major U.S. companies, said in an emailed statement that he supported the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s letter. Beth Ford, CEO of Land O’ Lakes, serves on the board of the Business Roundtable.
Until Sunday, Minnesota’s largest companies had not commented on the issue, but, in the letter, they stated that they had been in contact with federal, state and local authorities.
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The silence from big companies contrasted sharply with their reactions to the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. That crime helped spark a broader corporate movement to combat racism, with executives making public pledges to support diversity initiatives, donate to social justice causes and express solidarity with protesters at the time.
But in the following years, companies avoided getting involved in any political crossfire as the country became more polarized. Many said they would be more selective about the topics they cover, limiting themselves to those that directly affect their businesses.
At last week’s World Economic Forum, which was once a hub for these social issues, there was virtually no public mention by executives of the instability in Minnesota. The focus was instead on artificial intelligence, negotiations and the redesign of global alliances.
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For some companies, however, the violence in Minnesota has hit a particularly sore spot. After immigration agents detained two Target employees at the Richfield, Minn., store this month, religious leaders rallied at the retailer’s headquarters, calling on the company to keep immigration agents off its properties.
“Every CEO — and I know all these CEOs — wants a peaceful environment for their employees,” said Bill George, the former CEO of Medtronic, whose current chief executive signed the letter. George is also a former Target board member.
“The bigger issue for CEOs,” he added, is that the instability in Minneapolis “is going to have a very negative effect on growth, on innovation and, in particular, on the ability to recruit people from across the country and around the world.”
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Speaking as a group, as the Minnesota executives did on Sunday, can help protect companies from individual attacks from President Donald Trump, said Jeff Sonnenfeld, a professor of leadership studies at the Yale School of Management.
“You can take down companies individually, but when they act collectively, they have immunity,” Sonnenfeld said.
Executives have also similarly resorted to strength in numbers when expressing concerns about tariffs, which organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce opposed last spring. Many companies ended up reaching their own agreements with the government regarding tariffs.
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Sunday’s letter avoided calling for specific actions, nor did it condemn Pretti’s killing by federal agents or call on immigration authorities to scale back their aggressive enforcement of the law. The statement also did not call on protesters to change their behavior.
With polls showing voters divided along party lines over support for Trump’s immigration crackdown, corporations have been careful not to alienate large swaths of their customers by taking sides. They also risk angering Trump, who has publicly rebuked companies and executives he believes have crossed his line.
The Minnesota companies’ letter released Sunday struck a neutral tone:
“At this difficult time for our community, we call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state and federal leaders to reach a quick and lasting solution that allows families, businesses, our employees and communities across Minnesota to resume our work of building a bright and prosperous future,” the executives wrote.
Alison Taylor, clinical associate professor of business and society at New York University’s Stern School of Business, said she thought companies had no choice but to speak out. “They were cornered, because obviously the ongoing situation is starting to have commercial consequences,” he said.
Taylor added: “Is it better than doing nothing? Probably. Is it enough? I don’t think anyone will consider it enough.”
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