Lead
On Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at an internal Salesforce conference in Las Vegas, CEO and co-founder Marc Benioff made a remark that employees interpreted as a joke about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) monitoring international staff. The comment—delivered during a keynote—drew audible boos and sparked public backlash from employees across Slack and LinkedIn. Leaders inside Slack urged an apology, and reports say an internal recording of the keynote was later edited to remove the ICE reference. The episode has prompted plans by some staff to press company leadership to denounce ICE and reassess Salesforce’s business with the agency.
Key Takeaways
- Marc Benioff made an on-stage remark about ICE monitoring international employees during a company keynote at an internal conference in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2026; several employees said the line prompted boos from the audience.
- Employees and leaders at Slack, which Salesforce owns, publicly criticized the joke and called for an apology; Slack general manager Rob Seaman said he could not defend or explain the comments.
- Business Insider reported that a recording of Benioff’s speech posted on an internal site was later edited to remove the ICE-related remark.
- Wired and CNBC reported that hundreds of Salesforce workers plan to urge Benioff to denounce ICE and cancel future business with the agency; those numbers and formal plans are described in internal organizing accounts.
- The incident follows a recent shift in Benioff’s public posture: his support for a 2018 San Francisco corporate tax and earlier criticism of billionaire wealth contrast with comments last fall in which he told the New York Times he “fully supported” the president and suggested National Guard deployment to San Francisco (remarks he later walked back).
- Salesforce has existing contracts with ICE and has pursued additional work with the agency, a fact that amplifies employee concerns given the company’s sizable international workforce on visas.
Background
Marc Benioff co-founded Salesforce and has long been its public face. Historically, he has supported some progressive causes—most notably backing a 2018 San Francisco ballot measure to tax large companies to fund homeless services—but his comments and political posture have shifted at times. In fall 2025 Benioff told the New York Times he “fully supported” the president and suggested sending National Guard troops to San Francisco; he subsequently apologized and sought to clarify those remarks.
Salesforce acquired Slack in 2021 and remains a major employer of international talent who rely on visas and work authorizations. The company also holds government and law-enforcement contracts, including with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That contractual relationship has long been a point of concern for some employees and activist groups, who say technology services can be used to enforce immigration actions.
Main Event
At the company’s internal gathering in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Benioff is reported to have asked international employees to stand and then joked that ICE agents were present and monitoring them. Multiple employees who were at the event told outlets including Wired and 404Media that the remark was met with boos. Media reports indicate the comment was later trimmed from an internal recording of the keynote posted on Salesforce’s site.
Reactions inside Salesforce were swift. Employees posted objections on Slack and LinkedIn; one staff member, Farone Rasheed, wrote that they felt fearful for colleagues on visas and expressed shock and frustration at leadership’s views. Slack general manager Rob Seaman addressed staff in an internal message, saying he could not defend or explain the jokes and that they did not align with his personal values.
Reports from Wired and CNBC say hundreds of workers are organizing to press Benioff to publicly denounce ICE and to stop pursuing or renewing business with the agency. Salesforce did not immediately respond to external requests for comment about the incident or the reported edits to the internal recording.
Analysis & Implications
The episode sharpens tensions between Salesforce’s commercial relationships and its internal culture. For a company that hires many international employees, comments suggesting enforcement scrutiny can damage trust, lower morale, and raise retention risks—particularly among visa holders who face legal and residency uncertainty. Internal pushback could force leadership to make clearer commitments on workplace protections and vendor selection.
Reputational risk is also tangible externally. Activist employees, customers, and civil-society groups have in the past pressured tech firms over government contracts; organized campaigns have led to contract reviews or public scrutiny at other companies. If Salesforce faces coordinated demands to sever ties with ICE, the company must weigh contractual obligations, revenue implications, and reputational costs in a politically charged environment.
Investors and partners may watch for governance responses: an apology, policy changes on sales to certain government agencies, or steps to protect international staff. Conversely, leadership that minimizes employee concerns could see escalation in internal demonstrations or talent departures, which would have operational and hiring consequences in a competitive labor market for cloud and enterprise software skills.
Comparison & Data
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Benioff endorsed San Francisco corporate tax to fund homelessness programs. |
| Fall 2025 | Benioff told the New York Times he “fully supported” the president and suggested National Guard deployment; he later walked back the comment. |
| Feb. 11, 2026 | Benioff made an ICE-related remark at a Las Vegas internal conference; employees booed and internal recording was reportedly edited. |
The timeline highlights a shift in public messaging that some employees view as inconsistent with the company’s earlier positions. That context helps explain why a single on-stage joke triggered such a strong internal reaction: staff expectations of leadership conduct are shaped by recent statements and longstanding contract relationships with agencies like ICE.
Reactions & Quotes
“I am fearful for my friends and co-workers on my team who are here on international visas … I am shocked, angered, sad and frustrated by the views espoused by the leadership at Salesforce this week.”
Farone Rasheed (Salesforce employee, LinkedIn)
“I cannot defend or explain them. They do not align with my personal values,”
Rob Seaman (Slack general manager, internal message)
Those remarks capture both frontline anxiety and managerial discomfort inside the organization. Media outlets reported the initial accounts; Salesforce has not publicly confirmed the wording of the joke beyond internal circulation and edited recordings.
Unconfirmed
- Precise language and intent behind Benioff’s remark: reports describe it as a joke and say the audience booed, but full context and intent have not been publicly authenticated by Salesforce.
- The scale and formal organization of the staff campaign: outlets report that “hundreds” plan to press leadership, but the exact number, petition text and planned escalation steps were not independently verified at the time of reporting.
- The reasons for editing the internal recording: Business Insider reported the ICE reference was removed, but Salesforce has not issued a formal explanation for the edit.
Bottom Line
The Las Vegas incident is more than an isolated gaffe: it intersects with ongoing employee concerns about immigration enforcement, Salesforce’s government contracts, and shifting signals from senior leadership. For many staff, the joke reinforced broader anxieties about whether company priorities align with worker safety and values.
What to watch next: whether Benioff offers a public apology or clarification; whether Salesforce opens a formal review of contracts with ICE; and whether employee organizers convert dissatisfaction into concrete demands with timelines. Those developments will determine whether the episode becomes a contained internal controversy or a catalyst for policy and reputational consequences.
Sources
- The Guardian (news report)
- Business Insider (news report citing internal recording)
- Wired (news report on employee organizing)
- CNBC (news report on worker actions)
- 404Media (news outlet reporting employee accounts)
- The New York Times (profile and past Benioff remarks)