Salesforce Employees Write Open Letter to CEO Marc Benioff After Crass ICE Joke
Salesforce Chief Executive Marc Benioff has ignited a significant internal revolt following a series of controversial remarks made at the company's annual kickoff event in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Addressing thousands of staff members both in the room and via global broadcast, Benioff attempted to joke about the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while asking international colleagues to identify themselves.The billionaire founder later revisited the theme with a second quip suggesting that staff who failed to use internal software tools might also attract the attention of immigration authorities, a move that reportedly drew faint boos from the audience and immediate confusion regarding his intent. The backlash from the workforce was swift and furious, with employees taking to the internal messaging platform Slack to brand the comments as 'cruel,' 'tone-deaf,' and a betrayal of the firm's professed 'Ohana' family values.In a letter circulated shortly after the keynote, staff expressed profound disappointment that their CEO would trivialise the genuine fears of immigrant communities, stating that such rhetoric made many colleagues feel unsafe.
The Incident: 'Tone-Deaf' Jokes at Company KickoffAccording to reports, the controversy began during Benioff's keynote address, which was broadcast to thousands of Salesforce employees globally. While asking international attendees to stand and be recognised, Benioff reportedly quipped that ICE agents were positioned at the back of the room.Witnesses described the comment as landing poorly, eliciting faint boos from the audience. Undeterred, Benioff later doubled down with a 'callback' joke, suggesting that employees who had not utilised a specific Slackbot tool might also find themselves targeted by the immigration enforcement agency.He also made a disparaging remark about Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance, admitting he 'wasn't sure what it was about,' which further alienated some staff members.
Internal Backlash: 'Cruel' and 'Unacceptable'The reaction within the company's internal communication channels was swift and furious. Screenshots from Salesforce's Slack workspace, viewed by Business Insider, show employees expressing deep dismay. One post read: 'It's hard to believe this company still has values when you make completely off-base jokes about ICE in your opening keynote. That's unacceptable.'Another employee condemned the jokes as 'tone-deaf and quite cruel,' noting that they were in direct conflict with Salesforce's self-proclaimed culture of 'equality.' The concept of Ohana (family) — a central pillar of Salesforce's corporate branding — was frequently cited by distressed staff, with some noting that their colleagues and loved ones felt 'unsafe' due to the casual trivialisation of deportation and state surveillance.The Open Letter: Demanding AccountabilityFollowing the immediate outcry on Slack, a group of employees has reportedly escalated their protest. According to Wired, staff members have drafted and circulated an open letter addressing Benioff directly. The letter characterises the CEO's comments not merely as a failed attempt at humour, but as a symptom of a deeper disconnect between leadership and the workforce's values.It reportedly highlights the fear and anxiety that ICE represents for many immigrant communities, including Salesforce employees and their families. Signatories are demanding a formal apology and a reaffirmation of the company's commitment to protecting its diverse workforce.This organised pushback mirrors previous internal movements at the company, where employees have challenged leadership on ethical grounds.
A History of Tension: From National Guard to ICEThis latest incident comes at a sensitive time for Benioff, whose political posturing has become increasingly erratic in recent months. In October 2025, during the lead-up to the Dreamforce conference, Benioff courted controversy by expressing 'full' support for President Donald Trump and suggesting the National Guard should be deployed to San Francisco to handle law enforcement duties.Although he later issued an apology for the National Guard comments following significant backlash, the pivot has left many employees wary. For a leader who once championed progressive causes and stakeholder capitalism, Benioff's recent trajectory — culminating in jokes about immigration enforcement at a mandatory work event — suggests a widening rift between the CEO and the progressive workforce that helped build his company's reputation.
