Tech giants including Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix draft letter highlights how immigration supports entrepreneurship and corporate America
Top American companies and technology giants, including Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Uber and Stripe, have co-authored a draft letter formally opposing Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, arguing that “a blanket suspension is not the right approach”.
More than 30 CEOs of biggest tech companies—including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix and Uber—have signed onto a letter criticizing President Trump’s executive order on immigration, which has banned the entry of nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries, including those people who have valid visas.
“While security and vetting procedures can and should always be subject to continuous evaluation and improvement, a blanket suspension is not the right approach,” a draft of the letter reportedly reads.
It is however unclear when the letter will be submitted to President Trump.
According to a draft shared with Recode, the letter highlights the importance of immigration to entrepreneurship and corporate America.
“As entrepreneurs and business leaders, our ability to grow our companies and create jobs depends on the contributions of immigrants from all backgrounds.”
It seems big tech is finally coming together to address President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration executive order. “Tech companies are leading the effort but are working to involve other industries,” Recode reported, citing unnamed sources.
Trump signed an executive order last Friday that has temporarily halted visa holders from seven majority-Muslim countries including Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Refugee arrivals into the US have also been temporarily barred.
The reporter Kara Swisher told CNN that the precise content remained unclear in part because
“Some of these people can’t agree on when to have lunch.” Kara Swisher shared from their twitter account
BREAKING: Big tech giants like Google, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook along with CPG, manufacturing cos working on letter opposing Trump ban
— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) February 2, 2017
These companies are currently in the process of sketching a joint letter opposing the recently instituted travel ban, restricting Syrian refugees and citizens of seven other Muslim-majority countries from entry to the US.
Last Monday, thousands of Googlers across different states protested on the streets to voice out their disapproval of the travel ban. Amazon and Microsoft similarly showed sympathy for immigrants by backing a lawsuit against the order earlier this week.
Apple CEO Tim Cook also expressed readiness to oppose the immigration ban in case the Trump administration continues to refuse to rescind the order. “Apple would not exist without immigration…It is not a policy we support.”
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg also came out against Trump’s policy in a lengthy post on his Facebook page Friday. “Like many of you, I’m concerned about the impact of the recent executive orders signed by President Trump,” Zuckerberg said.
While titans of the tech industry had already taken vocal stances against Trump’s anti-immigration order, the letter marks the very first time their individual efforts have turned into a united front.
Here is the draft of the letter, according to Recode:
Dear President Trump,
Since the country’s birth, America has been the land of opportunity – welcoming newcomers and giving them the chance to build families, careers, and businesses in the United States. We are a nation made stronger by immigrants. As entrepreneurs and business leaders, our ability to grow our companies and create jobs depends on the contributions of immigrants from all backgrounds.
We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets today’s security needs and keeps our country safe. We are concerned, however, that your recent executive order will affect many visa holders who work hard here in the United States and contribute to our country’s success. In a global economy, it is critical that we continue to attract the best and brightest from around the world. We welcome the changes your administration has made in recent days in how the Department of Homeland Security will implement the executive order, and we stand ready to help your administration identify other opportunities to ensure that our employees can travel with predictability and without undue delay.
Our nation’s compassion is a part of what makes it exceptional, and we are committed to helping your administration identify approaches for thorough screening without a blanket suspension of admissions under the US Refugee Admissions program. While security and vetting procedures can and should always be subject to continuous evaluation and improvement, a blanket suspension is not the right approach.
Similarly, we stand ready to identify ways of helping to achieve your stated goal of bringing clarity to the future of the 750,000 Dreamers in this country under the protections of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in a way “that will make people happy and proud.” Removing these protections by barring renewals would effectively end the program and eliminate the ability for these Dreamers to work and live without the fear of deportation.
The business community shares your commitment to growing the American economy and expanding job creation across the country. We hire both thousands of Americans and some of the most talented people from abroad, who work together to help our companies succeed and expand our overall employment. As you contemplate changes to the nation’s complex and interconnected immigration policies, whether business and employment-based visas, refugees, or DACA, we hope that you will use us as a resource to help achieve immigration policies that both support the work of American businesses and reflect American values.