Salesforce Cofounder Criticizes Benioff's ICE Jokes

Salesforce CTO Parker Harris addressed the controversy over CEO Marc Benioff's comments during an internal meeting.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Salesforce cofounder and CTO Parker Harris addressed the controversy over CEO Marc Benioff's controversial jokes about ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) during an internal company meeting. Harris said he was "not OK with" Benioff's comments, which were made at a recent Salesforce employee kickoff event and angered many workers. Harris acknowledged the "deep disappointment" over the remarks and said Benioff's jokes were a "violation of the Code of Conduct" that could be considered a "fireable offense."

Why it matters

Benioff's ICE jokes at the Salesforce kickoff event sparked significant backlash from employees, with some criticizing the comments as insensitive and inappropriate given the ongoing controversies surrounding ICE's policies and actions. The internal response from Harris and other Salesforce leaders highlights the challenges tech companies face in navigating political and social issues, especially when they impact their own workforce.

The details

During the internal meeting, Harris said Benioff "made a very bad joke" about ICE that "doesn't do us any good" and was a "violation of the Code of Conduct" that could be considered a "fireable offense." Harris also acknowledged the "deep disappointment" expressed by other Salesforce executives like Rob Seaman and Craig Broscow, who criticized Benioff's remarks. Harris encouraged employees to make their views known through voting rather than leaking information to the media.

  • The internal meeting where Harris addressed Benioff's ICE jokes took place last week.
  • Benioff made the controversial jokes at Salesforce's employee-only company kickoff event in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

The players

Parker Harris

Salesforce cofounder and Chief Technical Officer who addressed the controversy over CEO Marc Benioff's ICE jokes in an internal meeting.

Marc Benioff

Salesforce CEO who made controversial jokes about ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) at the company's employee kickoff event.

Rob Seaman

Slack General Manager who posted a comment saying he could not "defend or explain" Benioff's comments, which did not align with his personal values.

Craig Broscow

Salesforce VP who acknowledged the "deep disappointment" over Benioff's remarks in an internal Slack message.

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What they’re saying

“Marc made a very bad joke. But that's something that Marc did, and I'm not gonna call him out in public out on the internet.”

— Parker Harris, Salesforce Cofounder and Chief Technical Officer (Internal meeting transcript)

“It would be a step in the right direction and for Marc to acknowledge as soon as possible — ideally publicly — that his attempted joke was extremely upsetting to large segments of his employee base.”

— Craig Broscow, Salesforce VP (Internal Slack message)

“They do not align with my personal values and I know this to be the case for many of you as well.”

— Rob Seaman, Slack General Manager (Internal Slack message)

What’s next

Salesforce has not indicated if Benioff will publicly address or apologize for his controversial ICE jokes. The company's leadership, including Harris, have encouraged employees to express their views through voting rather than leaking information to the media.

The takeaway

Benioff's ICE jokes at the Salesforce kickoff event highlight the challenges tech companies face in navigating political and social issues, especially when they impact their own workforce. The internal response from Salesforce leaders like Harris shows the company is grappling with how to address the controversy and employee backlash in a way that upholds its values and code of conduct.