Marc Benioff, the CEO of Salesforce, is under fire for a joke about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that he made during a company event. As he addressed international employees at a conference in Las Vegas, he asked them to stand and jokingly suggested that ICE agents were watching them. This comment was met with boos from the audience, and many employees expressed their anger publicly.
After the incident, Salesforce edited the recorded speech to remove Benioff’s remarks about ICE. Reports show that many Salesforce employees are now planning to urge him to denounce ICE and end any future business ties with the agency.
Benioff’s political stance seems to have shifted in recent years. Previously, he supported progressive initiatives, such as a tax on large businesses in San Francisco aimed at funding homeless services. Yet, during Donald Trump’s presidency, he openly agreed with Trump on several points, even suggesting the National Guard should be deployed in San Francisco. However, he later walked back those comments.
The reaction to Benioff’s recent joke highlights a growing discontent among employees. Farone Rasheed, a Salesforce worker, shared his fears for his international colleagues on LinkedIn, expressing shock and frustration over Benioff’s comments. This sentiment was echoed by Rob Seaman, Slack’s general manager, who stated that the jokes did not align with his values and were not representative of the company culture.
In a broader context, this incident reflects shifting attitudes within corporate America regarding immigration. Recent surveys show that 70% of employees want their companies to take a stand on social issues, including immigration policies. This rising demand for accountability could contribute to changes in how companies address such topics in the future.
Salesforce has not yet commented on the backlash. As the story unfolds, it raises questions about leadership accountability and the impact of corporate culture on employee satisfaction.
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