Following Donald Trump’s ‘extreme vetting’ executive order, the one that prohibits entry of foreign nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Lybia, Somalia, and Sudan, many companies and tech executives has spoken against it.
Mark Zuckerberg published a Facebook status two days ago expressing grave concerns about the president’s measure.
Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, pledged support to workers affected by the ban and Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick strongly opposed the executive order on a corporate email later made public.
The President’s travel restrictions, an apparent ‘Muslim ban’ in the eyes of the media, will continue for 90 days. Afterward, it is unclear which direction his policies will take, but incoming nationals from Arab countries should not expect good news.
Uber offered deals for people going to the protest at the JFK airport
Following Mark Zuckerberg’s post, Travis Kalanick from Uber forwarded a corporate email that stated his full backing for affected immigrant families, especially Uber workers. He added he would voice his concerns on Friday, at Trump’s first business advisory group meeting.
The ride-hailing company went under fire for canceling surge prices on fares for people going to the JFK airport protest, which stirred some controversy and confusion. They later clarified that such a movement intended to keep people from spending more on an Uber.
Amazon released a milder statement in support of its affected employees while Apple’s Tim Cook emphatically remarked that his company did not support the policy. Google also made its contrarian position very clear on an employee recall memo by CEO Sundar Pichai.
Tech companies nationwide say ‘no’ to Trump’s restrictions
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella shared another note on LinkedIn from counsel Brad Smith. The document expressed their belief for “broader immigration opportunities, like the protections for talented and law-abiding young people under the Deferred Access for Childhood Arrivals (DACA),” often called ‘Dreamers’ in the media.
Nadella also expressed his personal concerns as an immigrant on this matter, using similar wording as Netflix’s Reed Hastings, who called the policy ‘un-American.’ Jack Dorsey, from Twitter, called the executive order’s impact ‘real and upsetting.’
Ride-sharing company Lyft donated $1 million to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) following Trump’s ban. Many people quick dismissed the selfless nature of the handout, as the company rushed to do so following Uber’s momentary controversy.
Trump’s executive order also affects green-card holders out of the US
Following the legislation’s initial backlash, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security remarked that the measure would also affect green card holders who chose to travel abroad to any of the affected countries.
The bill also affects those who have a student or work visa of any kind, meaning that tens of thousands of people who legally made a living in the United States might not be able to continue doing so in the coming weeks.
Source: Venture Beat