'Time for deescalation' says Tim Cook after fatal ICE shooting in Minnesota

Apple CEO Tim Cook and other tech leaders speak out after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot a nurse in Minneapolis, as federal immigration actions face protests and court scrutiny

The fatal shooting of a healthcare worker in Minneapolis during an immigration enforcement operation has triggered anger and scrutiny of federal agencies.

 

Apple CEO Tim Cook became the latest executive to address the issue, telling employees he was affected by the incident and urging restraint at a time of heightened tension across the US, Bloomberg reported.

 

Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse, was shot dead by a US Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on Saturday. The killing has led to public protests and condemnation from civil rights groups and professional organisations, including the National Basketball Players Association.

 

The incident came just days after another fatal shooting in the city, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent killed a woman during a separate confrontation. Together, the two deaths have intensified criticism of immigration enforcement tactics in Minnesota.

 

Tim Cook urges calm in message to Apple staff

 

In an internal memo shared with Apple employees and later posted on the company’s website, Cook said the events had left him shaken and called for a peaceful response.

 

“This is a time for deescalation,” Cook wrote. “I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they’re from.”

 

Cook said he had spoken with President Donald Trump earlier this week to share his views on the situation.

 

“I had a good conversation with the president this week where I shared my views, and I appreciate his openness to engaging on issues that matter to us all,” he wrote. “I know this is very emotional and challenging for so many. I am proud of how deeply our teams care about the world beyond our walls.”

 

Cook’s comments followed backlash from Apple employees and customers over his decision to attend a White House screening of a documentary on First Lady Melania Trump on the evening of the shooting.   

 

Trump reshuffles immigration leadership in Minnesota

 

On Tuesday, Trump said he wanted to “deescalate” the situation in Minnesota. As part of the response, Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to take charge of immigration enforcement in the state. Homan replaced Greg Bovino, the US Border Patrol commander who had become the public face of the aggressive enforcement drive in Minneapolis.

 

Trump appointed Homan as his administration’s “border czar” in November 2024. Homan, a former acting director of ICE, is known for his tough stance on border security and is overseeing immigration enforcement and mass deportation efforts from 2025 to 2029.

 

Sam Altman criticises ICE enforcement

 

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also weighed in, telling employees that immigration authorities were overstepping.

 

In an internal Slack message, Altman said ICE was “going too far” with its current crackdown in Minnesota, according to a source familiar with the message.

 

"What's happening with ICE is going too far," Altman wrote. "There is a big difference between deporting violent criminals and what's happening now, and we need to get the distinction right."   

 

Federal judge demands answers from ICE

 

The controversy has also reached the courts. Minnesota’s chief federal judge ordered the acting head of ICE to appear in court to explain why detained immigrants were denied basic legal protections, Associated Press reported.

 

In an order dated Monday, Chief Judge Patrick J Schiltz said Todd Lyons, ICE’s acting director, must appear personally on Friday to explain why he should not be held in contempt of court.

 

"This court has been extremely patient with respondents, even though respondents decided to send thousands of agents to Minnesota to detain aliens without making any provision for dealing with the hundreds of habeas petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result," the judge wrote.

 

The order followed a federal court hearing on Monday, where the state of Minnesota and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul asked a judge to halt the surge in immigration enforcement. While the judge said she was prioritising the decision, no timeline for a ruling was given.

 

(With agency inputs)