More than 1,400 Salesforce employees have signed a letter urging CEO Marc Benioff to reconsider any potential business dealings with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to individuals familiar with the initiative. The campaign, framed under the call “Salesforce staff urge CEO Marc Benioff to withdraw from ICE-related contracts,” reflects rising unease among tech workers about how their company’s tools may be used.
In the letter, employees said they were disturbed by recent media reports indicating that Salesforce had pitched artificial intelligence solutions to ICE. The reported proposal allegedly aimed to help the agency accelerate the hiring of 10,000 new agents and streamline the review of tip-line submissions.
Call for Transparency and Accountability
The signatories are asking Benioff to halt any ongoing proposals, partnerships, or exploratory discussions related to ICE enforcement and recruitment. They are also pressing for a public statement calling for the removal of masked ICE agents operating in U.S. cities.
In addition, employees want greater transparency about the nature of Salesforce’s relationship with ICE. Specifically, they are requesting clarity on what services, if any, the company currently provides and are advocating for a pause or prohibition on infrastructure, AI systems, or tools that could support the agency’s operational expansion.
A supplemental document accompanying the letter argues that Salesforce technology could potentially assist ICE in scaling up recruitment, onboarding, and operational processes. The document references an earlier New York Times report that described Salesforce software as being presented as a strong platform for recruiting ICE agents in response to a government information request.
Internal Fallout and Industry-Wide Concerns
The letter follows heightened scrutiny of ICE after fatal incidents involving U.S. citizens in Minnesota earlier this year. Within Salesforce, tensions escalated after Benioff reportedly made a joke about ICE’s presence at a company gathering in Las Vegas. The remark sparked criticism among employees on internal Slack channels.
The situation unfolds during a challenging period for Salesforce. Investor concerns about the broader impact of artificial intelligence on software growth have weighed on the company’s performance, with shares down roughly 27% in 2026 so far. Despite that, Salesforce has emphasized its government partnerships and projected fiscal-year growth between 9% and 10%, slightly above prior expectations.
The pushback at Salesforce mirrors similar activism across the tech industry. Last week, approximately 900 Google employees called on their leadership to sever ties with ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Prominent executives, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, have also publicly criticized ICE’s conduct during confrontations with protesters.
Employees Cite Reputational and Ethical Risks
In their statement, Salesforce employees warned that perceived involvement with ICE could expose staff to reputational damage, online harassment, or professional consequences. They stressed that without clear information about the scope and governance of any ICE-related work, employees are unable to make informed decisions about their roles.
Organizers plan to deliver the letter to Benioff by Friday.
Notably, the letter acknowledges Benioff’s previous public comments. In October, he said he did not believe the National Guard needed to be deployed in San Francisco, where Salesforce is headquartered and hosts its annual Dreamforce conference. However, reports also indicated that he had earlier expressed support for the idea of deploying troops to the city.
Broader Government Engagement
Salesforce has continued to expand its presence in federal markets. In May, the U.S. General Services Administration announced that the company offered discounted Slack services to multiple government agencies. Other major tech firms, including Adobe, Microsoft, and ServiceNow, also extended pricing reductions for federal software contracts.
Benioff has also engaged with senior political figures in recent months. He held discussions with David Sacks, the administration’s artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency adviser, and later attended a White House dinner alongside other technology leaders. He also shared a photo with Attorney General Pam Bondi on social media.
The letter concludes by invoking one of Benioff’s long-standing principles: that business can be a powerful force for social change. Employees argue that this philosophy should guide Salesforce’s actions now, particularly when constitutional rights and community safety are at stake.
