An influx of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the Twin Cities is hitting some businesses hard, and drawing cries of protest from small employers who say the crackdown is hurting staffing and customer traffic.

You don’t hear complaints coming from Minnesota’s largest companies, though. You hear hardly anything — a silence that corporate communications experts said falls short of the leadership Minnesota has typically had from its biggest employers.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reached out to 20 of the state’s largest companies — 10 private, 10 public — asking them how the enforcement surge has impacted their employees and operations, and what steps or guidance they have provided about the activity.

Only one — Minneapolis-based Ryan Cos.US Inc. — responded, saying it has put protocols in place to ensure employee safety and well-being. See Ryan’s full responses below.

Teresa Morrow, chief engagement officer at Minneapolis-based Elevation Communications, said CEOs should be managing through the moment with transparency and empathy.

“You have to acknowledge what has happened. You have to prioritize employee well-being,” she said.

Minneapolis-based Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) faced criticism after it did not publicly respond following the arrest of an employee by federal immigration officers at a Richfield store. Yesterday, more than 100 clergy members staged a sit-in at Target’s headquarters in an effort to get the company to speak up.

Golden Valley- based General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS) also drew attention after a video circulated showing immigration officers arresting an employee at its Chanhassen manufacturing facility. In that instance, the company told the Star Tribune that it “followed all our safety protocols and partnered with local law enforcement.”

Morrow compared the current corporate silence to the aftermath of the 2020 murder of George Floyd, when many Minnesota-based companies publicly addressed the situation, donated to nonprofits, and launched internal diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

“After George Floyd, there was a lot of tangible support, and I’m not seeing that now,” Morrow said.

Morrow acknowledged that executives are operating in a different political landscape than in 2020, with increased concerns about retaliation from the Trump administration. Still, she said companies should stick to their core tenets, saying, “You don’t shift your values depending upon who’s in the White House. You stick to who you believe you are.”

The silence from large employers prompted Brian Wachtler, president of Minneapolis marketing and communications firm Haberman, to post on LinkedIn, describing the lack of response from major companies as “deafening.”

In an interview, Wachtler said the issue is less about public posture and more about reassuring employees.

“Employees are not asking for perfection or radical statements,” he said. “They’re just looking for reassurance that we as leaders see what’s happening, understand the fear that it creates, and are willing to say that empathy and trust and stability matter.”

He pointed to a Minnesota history of strong civic engagement by corporate leaders, “strong voices around issues that matter, whether it be gay marriage or George Floyd.”

Haberman founder and CEO Fred Haberman added that inaction sends its own message.

“If you’re a CEO of a very large company that affects our community, to be silent, it feels as if you don’t have the backs of your employees,” he said. “And I think that sends a signal that isn’t positive.”

Former Medtronic chairman and CEO Bill George said the continued presence of immigration enforcement officers could have lasting consequences for Minnesota’s business climate.

“There’s no doubt that all of the government officers, ICE officers, coming to Minnesota is having a chilling effect,” he said. “It will have a negative effect on job growth and innovation and the growth of the businesses in Minnesota.”

George said corporate leaders should center their response on employee protection rather than politics.

“The CEO’s No. 1 job is to protect the safety, security and well-being of their employees. This is the most important thing they have to do,” he said. He added, “This is an important test for the leaders of Minnesota companies that they will step up and support their employees through difficult times.”

The Business Journal asked the following companies for comment on whether the immigration enforcement activity has impacted their business, if they plan on issuing a public statement, how they would react if ICE showed up to one of their locations, and if they have or are considering taking steps to further support employee safety and workplace operations:

UnitedHealth Group Inc., Eden Prairie

Target Corp., Minneapolis

Best Buy Co. Inc., Richfield

Medtronic, Fridley

U.S. Bancorp, Minneapolis

3M Co., Maplewood

General Mills Inc., Golden Valley

Ameriprise Financial Inc., Minneapolis

C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., Eden Prairie

Ecolab Inc., St. Paul

Cargill Inc., Wayzata

Prime Therapeutics, Eagan

CHS Inc., Inver Grove Heights

Land O’Lakes Inc., Arden Hills

Thrivent, Minneapolis

Securian Financial Group Inc., St. Paul

Agribank, St. Paul

M.A. Mortenson Co., Golden Valley

Ryan Cos. US Inc., Minneapolis

Andersen Corp., Bayport

Of those 20 companies, only Ryan provided comment. Here is what the company said:

Has your company issued, or does it plan to issue, a statement regarding the recent increase in federal immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota and nationally?

We do not plan to issue a public statement at this time, but we have addressed the recent increase in federal immigration enforcement activity internally with our team members. In this address, we reminded our team members of the resources and protocols that were developed last year.

What steps has your company taken, or is considering taking, to support employee safety and workplace operations amid heightened enforcement activity?

With safety, family and integrity among our core company values, we are committed to providing a safe, secure and inclusive environment for every team member. Since January 2025, we’ve worked to provide robust resources and protocols to ensure the safety of our team members and operational continuity across all our project sites and properties. We have legal and safety counsel in place to ensure our practices are compliant and responsible. The well-being of our team members is, and always will be, our highest priority.

Has the recent increase in immigration enforcement affected your business, workforce or operations in any way? If so, how?

To date, the increase in immigration enforcement has not affected our workforce or operations.

If federal immigration authorities were to request access to one of your company’s facilities, how would your organization respond?

Our team members have been trained on-site to follow protocols that comply with legal requirements. This includes requesting a detailed warrant signed by a judge and documenting and submitting the information to our legal department.