More than 60 Minnesota business leaders, including the CEOs of Target, Best Buy and UnitedHealth Group, issued an open letter calling for state, local and federal officials to de-escalate tensions following fatal shootings by federal agents during an immigration enforcement operation. The letter, posted on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website on Sunday, came as protests and business pressure have mounted against companies perceived as insufficiently vocal on the enforcement surge.
The business community’s public stance reflects mounting economic pressure on Minnesota’s largest employers, with some companies reporting sales declines exceeding 80 percent, and activist pressure targeting major retailers and other corporations for their relative silence on federal law enforcement activities.
The letter states: “With yesterday’s tragic news, we are calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions.” The signees added: “In this difficult moment for our community, we call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state and federal leaders to achieve a swift and durable solution that enables families, businesses, our employees, and communities across Minnesota to resume our work to build a bright and prosperous future.”
The signers represent some of Minnesota’s largest corporations. They include 3M CEO William Brown, Best Buy CEO Corie Barry, General Mills CEO Jeff Harmening, Target incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke, and UnitedHealth Group CEO Stephen Hemsley.
Before the letter, most of the biggest Minnesota-based companies had not issued any public statements about the enforcement surge and unrest. The issue has become increasingly difficult for the business community to avoid. Over the past two weeks, protesters have targeted some businesses they see as not taking a strong enough stand against federal law enforcement activity, including Minneapolis-based Target.
Earlier in January, a Minnesota hotel refused to allow federal immigration agents to stay there, then apologized and said the refusal violated its own policies after furor online.
The state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities cited devastating economic impacts in a lawsuit filed this month seeking to halt the immigration operations. The lawsuit asserts that some businesses have reported sales drops up to 80 percent.