CEOs Issue Joint Letter Following Agent Shootings Over 60 CEOs from Minnesota’s Fortune‑500 headquarters, including leaders of Target, UnitedHealth, Best Buy, 3M, General Mills and Cargill, posted an open letter on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website on Sunday, Jan. 26, urging state, local and federal officials to “immediately de‑escalate” tensions after the fatal shootings of agents Alex Pretti and Renee Good [1][2]. The statement emphasized cooperation, peace and “real solutions” for families, employees and communities, marking the first public stance by many of the region’s largest firms [2]. Signatories such as Michael Fiddelke (incoming Target CEO) and William Brown (3M) highlighted the need for coordinated action to restore normal business operations [2].

Economic Fallout Evident in Sales Drops and Lawsuit State and Twin Cities officials reported sales declines of up to 80 % for businesses directly affected by the immigration sweep, prompting a lawsuit seeking to halt federal enforcement activities [2]. The Chamber reiterated that Minnesota’s “headquarters economy” depends heavily on immigrant talent, noting the state hosts 17 Fortune 500 firms—the highest per‑capita in the nation [1]. Polling cited by CNN showed a sharp deterioration in public opinion toward the ICE operations, reinforcing concerns about long‑term economic damage [1].

Federal Officials Announce ICE Drawdown and Corporate Outreach Homeland Security’s “border czar” Tom Homan revealed a plan to reduce ICE presence in Minneapolis, aiming to ease community tensions and allow businesses to resume normal activity [1]. Concurrently, Target’s incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke released a video to employees acknowledging the “incredibly painful” violence and offering resources, signaling corporate leadership’s direct engagement with staff [1]. The drawdown announcement came after weeks of protests, a threatened general strike, and heightened fear of retaliation among corporate executives [1].

Democratic Leaders and Polls Criticize Limited Response State Rep. Michael Howard and other Democratic officials criticized the CEOs’ letter for omitting any mention of the killings of Pretti and Good, calling the appeal “far from sufficient” and demanding ICE’s removal from the Twin Cities [1]. The criticism reflects broader political pressure as recent CNN polling indicates worsening sentiment toward the federal immigration actions among Minnesota residents [1]. Despite the CEOs’ call for de‑escalation, Democratic leaders continue to push for more decisive federal withdrawal and accountability for the shootings [1].