Salesforce CEO Booed by His Own Employees

Salesforce's boss is under fire for an ICE joke that landed with a thud. During a company conference in Las Vegas on Tuesday, CEO Marc Benioff reportedly asked international employees to stand, then quipped that ICE agents were in the room watching them—a remark that elicited boos and groans, report the Guardian and 404 Media. The ICE line was later edited out of the internal video, per Business Insider. Leaders at Slack, which is owned by the company, have since criticized the remarks in internal messages. GM Rob Seaman said he "cannot defend or explain them."

Some employees are now organizing to push Benioff to cut ties with ICE and publicly renounce the agency, per Wired. Salesforce has long held government contracts with ICE and has reportedly sought more work with the agency, including through hiring assistance. The uproar also follows the billionaire's recent comments in support of President Trump and his call for National Guard troops to be deployed in San Francisco, which he later walked back. One employee, Farone Rasheed, wrote on LinkedIn that he fears for colleagues on visas and even fears retaliation for speaking out. Another employee wrote on Slack, "It's hard to believe this company still has values when you make completely off-base jokes about ICE in your opening keynote," per Business Insider.