At a Glance
- An ICE agent shot and killed unarmed US citizen Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
- Over 150 tech employees from Google, Amazon, Meta, and others signed a petition demanding CEOs condemn the killing.
- Prominent AI researchers publicly denounced the shooting as immoral and unconstitutional.
- Why it matters: Tech workers are breaking ranks with silent executives to protest federal violence in their communities.
Silicon Valley’s rank-and-file are refusing to stay quiet after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis mother and US citizen, in broad daylight last week. While billionaire CEOs remain silent, more than 150 workers at major tech firms have signed a petition urging their leaders to call the White House and demand ICE leave American cities.
The Shooting That Sparked Outrage
Good’s death marks a turning point for tech employees who have watched the Trump administration ignore constitutional norms for over a year. The incident occurred when an ICE agent opened fire on Good, who was unarmed, in a Minneapolis street. The agency has yet to provide a full account of the events.
The killing prompted immediate backlash from within the tech community. Nikhil Thorat, an engineer at Anthropic, wrote on X that the shooting “stirred something” in him. He described the country as living through a “cosplay” of Nazi Germany, where silence prevailed out of fear.
Jonathan Frankle, chief AI scientist at Databricks, added a “+1” to Thorat’s post. Shrisha Radhakrishna, CTO and CPO of Opendoor, replied that the dehumanization of Good was “terrifying” and “immoral.”
Workers vs. Executives: The Growing Divide
Anne Diemer, a former Stripe employee who organized the petition, said employees from Meta, Google, Amazon, OpenAI, TikTok, Spotify, Salesforce, LinkedIn, and Rippling have already signed. The group plans to publish the list once it reaches 200 signatories.
> “I think so many tech folks have felt like they can’t speak up,” Diemer told News Of Fort Worth. “I want tech leaders to call the country’s leaders and condemn ICE’s actions.”
The petition asks CEOs to:
- Call the White House directly
- Demand ICE leave US cities
- Speak out publicly against the agency’s violence
While executives have largely stayed silent, some high-profile researchers are using their platforms to speak out.
Google DeepMind Chief Breaks Silence
Jeff Dean, chief scientist at Google DeepMind and Google Research, began re-sharing critical posts with his 400,000 X followers. On January 10, he posted:
> “This is completely not okay, and we can’t become numb to repeated instances of illegal and unconstitutional action by government agencies. The recent days have been horrific.”
Dean, a University of Minnesota graduate, also linked to a video showing a US teenager being violently arrested at a Target in Richfield, Minnesota.
CEO Pushes Back on Administration Claims
When Vice President JD Vance claimed Good tried to run over the ICE agent with her vehicle, Aaron Levie, CEO of Box, responded directly. He posted:
> “Why is he shooting after he’s fully out of harm’s way (2nd and 3rd shot)? Why doesn’t he just move away from the vehicle instead of standing in front of it?”
Levie attached a screenshot from a Justice Department page outlining best practices for officers dealing with suspects in moving vehicles.
The Year of Silence Ends
Since Trump returned to office in January 2024, major tech CEOs have largely accommodated the administration. They’ve attended official dinners, praised the president, and sought approval to continue selling products to China. The administration has simultaneously attempted to impose arbitrary fees on chip exports and high-skilled worker visas.
Good’s killing appears to have broken this pattern of compliance among lower-level employees. The petition represents one of the first coordinated efforts by tech workers to pressure their leadership into political action.
What Happens Next
Organizers say they will release the full petition once they secure 200 signatures. The document currently includes workers from:
| Company | Status |
|---|---|
| Meta | Employees signed |
| Employees signed | |
| Amazon | Employees signed |
| OpenAI | Employees signed |
| TikTok | Employees signed |
| Spotify | Employees signed |
| Salesforce | Employees signed |
| Employees signed | |
| Rippling | Employees signed |
The movement marks a rare instance where tech employees are publicly pressuring their CEOs to take political stands. Whether executives will respond remains unclear, but workers have signaled they will no longer stay quiet as federal agents conduct operations in their communities.
Key Takeaways
- A single ICE shooting has galvanized tech employees across companies
- Workers are using internal pressure and public posts to demand action
- Prominent AI researchers are leading the public criticism
- The petition could reach 200 signatories within days
- Tech CEOs face growing internal pressure to break their silence on federal violence
