By Harshit
MINNEAPOLIS, JANUARY 28, 2026 — U.S. TECHNOLOGY & POLITICS
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has told employees that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s recent actions have crossed a line, becoming one of the most prominent technology executives to publicly criticize immigration enforcement tactics during President Donald Trump’s second term.
In an internal Slack message to OpenAI staff, Altman said ICE’s conduct was “going too far,” drawing a distinction between deporting violent criminals and what he described as broader, aggressive enforcement now unfolding in U.S. cities.
“There is a big difference between deporting violent criminals and what’s happening now, and we need to get the distinction right,” Altman wrote, according to a source familiar with the message.
The remarks come amid mounting outrage in Minneapolis, where federal agents shot and killed a protester over the weekend — the second fatal shooting involving federal enforcement this month. The incidents have triggered protests, public condemnation, and a wave of delayed responses from corporate leaders who had previously avoided criticizing the administration.
A Shift After Weeks of Corporate Silence
For much of December and early January, major corporations headquartered in Minnesota remained largely silent following the launch of “Operation Metro Surge,” a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign targeting the Minneapolis metro area.
That changed after the second fatal shooting, as executives from companies including 3M, UnitedHealth Group, and General Mills issued statements calling for de-escalation and transparency.
Altman’s comments place OpenAI among a growing number of technology and Fortune 500 firms now willing to speak publicly — or at least internally — about federal enforcement practices.
“I love the U.S. and its values of democracy and freedom and will be supportive of the country however I can; OpenAI will too,” Altman wrote. “But part of loving the country is the American duty to push back against overreach.”
The message was first reported by New York Times DealBook.
Tim Cook Also Urges De-Escalation
Altman is not alone. Apple CEO Tim Cook told employees he was “heartbroken” by the events in Minneapolis and called for restraint, according to an internal memo reported by Bloomberg.
Cook also said he discussed the situation directly with President Trump, though Apple declined to comment publicly outside regular business hours.
The comments mark a rare moment where leaders of the world’s most valuable technology companies are engaging — even cautiously — with politically sensitive domestic policy issues during Trump’s second term.
Internal Tech Industry Pressure Mounts
Behind the scenes, pressure within the technology sector has been building for weeks.
More than 450 employees from companies including Google, Meta Platforms, Salesforce, and OpenAI signed an open letter urging their executives to pressure the White House to withdraw ICE from U.S. cities, cancel corporate contracts with ICE, and publicly condemn enforcement-related violence.
The letter reflects a broader shift in employee expectations, particularly within the tech sector, where workers increasingly expect leadership to take moral positions on social and political issues — even when those positions carry regulatory or political risk.
Rift Emerges Among OpenAI Backers
Altman’s stance also arrives amid internal tensions within Khosla Ventures, one of OpenAI’s earliest investors.
Founder Vinod Khosla and partner Ethan Choi publicly distanced themselves from comments made by partner Keith Rabois, who argued over the weekend that law enforcement had not shot an innocent person and claimed undocumented immigrants commit crimes daily.
The disavowal underscores growing divisions within Silicon Valley over immigration, law enforcement, and the responsibilities of corporate leaders in moments of civil unrest.
Balancing Power, Policy, and Public Trust
Altman stopped short of calling for ICE’s removal or policy reversal, instead emphasizing transparency, investigation, and national unity.
“President Trump is a very strong leader, and I hope he will rise to this moment and unite the country,” Altman wrote. “I am encouraged by the last few hours of response and hope to see trust rebuilt with transparent investigations.”
For now, the episode highlights a recalibration underway in corporate America: after years of relative political quiet, especially during Trump’s return to office, technology leaders are increasingly confronting the tension between regulatory dependence and public accountability.
Whether this moment signals a sustained shift — or a brief response to extraordinary circumstances — remains an open question.