Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who has increasingly aligned himself with President Donald Trump including supporting the president’s controversial proposal to deploy troops in San Francisco is now pushing his company to play a role in the administration’s large-scale deportation initiatives.
Internal documents and messages obtained by The New York Times reveal that Benioff proposed using Salesforce’s AI technology to help ICE recruit 10,000 new agents and streamline the agency’s deportation efforts.
The materials, which included a five-page memo, a spreadsheet listing potential “opportunities” with ICE, and slides exploring how AI could assist in processing tip-line reports and investigations, were confirmed by Salesforce as authentic. The company, however, declined to provide detailed comments, citing the confidential nature of its contracts, according to The New York Times report released Thursday night.
The disclosure is expected to stir further controversy among San Francisco’s liberal circles, which were already critical of Benioff’s previous suggestion to deploy the National Guard to address crime, drug issues, and homelessness in the city.
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Benioff did not respond to questions about those comments at this week’s Dreamforce conference, which concluded Thursday at the Moscone Center with nearly 50,000 tech professionals in attendance.
The CEO faced criticism even before Dreamforce kicked off, following his public endorsement of using National Guard troops in San Francisco to tackle public safety issues. These developments were also covered by The New York Times.
“The number one thing that’s on my mind is safety,” he said during one session. “It’s all about trust and safety — it’s our highest value here.”
The U.S. government is Salesforce’s biggest client, with agencies including the Army, Coast Guard, and Veterans Affairs among those relying on the company’s products.
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While Salesforce has collaborated with ICE under both the Obama and Biden administrations, its recent pitch to help the agency scale up enforcement operations marks a notable shift.
Benioff has long positioned himself as a major supporter of San Francisco, pledging billions to the city including $15 billion he says he plans to invest over the next five years. On Thursday, he also revealed a $1 million donation to the San Francisco Police Department.
Salesforce’s engagement isn’t unique among Bay Area tech firms. Recently, the White House convened a summit with executives from OpenAI, Google, Oracle, Apple, and Meta to explore collaborations on artificial intelligence and other federal technology initiatives.
The moves by Salesforce and other Silicon Valley giants underscore the growing intersection between technology companies and federal policymaking. As debates over public safety, AI regulation, and federal partnerships intensify, these engagements highlight how influential tech leaders are shaping national priorities while navigating both scrutiny and opportunity in the political arena.
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