A Wall Street Journal Roundup
Technology industry executives expressed personal dismay and
concern for their companies in reacting to President Donald Trump's
executive order on immigration.
In company emails, interviews and posts published online,
leaders from companies including Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp.
framed the order as one at odds with a nation that welcomes
foreigners and an industry that counts foreign-born executives in
its upper ranks. In doing so, they broke with weeks of cautious
engagement with the new administration.
Here is a rundown of their statements.
Apple CEO Tim Cook
Team,
In my conversations with officials here in Washington this week,
I've made it clear that Apple believes deeply in the importance of
immigration -- both to our company and to our nation's future.
Apple would not exist without immigration, let alone thrive and
innovate the way we do.
I've heard from many of you who are deeply concerned about the
executive order issued yesterday restricting immigration from seven
Muslim-majority countries. I share your concerns. It is not a
policy we support.
There are employees at Apple who are directly affected by
yesterday's immigration order. Our HR, Legal and Security teams are
in contact with them, and Apple will do everything we can to
support them. We're providing resources on AppleWeb for anyone with
questions or concerns about immigration policies. And we have
reached out to the White House to explain the negative effect on
our co-workers and our company.
As I've said many times, diversity makes our team stronger. And
if there's one thing I know about the people at Apple, it's the
depth of our empathy and support for one another. It's as important
now as it's ever been, and it will not weaken one bit. I know I can
count on all of you to make sure everyone at Apple feels welcome,
respected and valued.
Apple is open. Open to everyone, no matter where they come from,
which language they speak, who they love or how they worship. Our
employees represent the finest talent in the world, and our team
hails from every corner of the globe.
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, "We may have all come on
different ships, but we are in the same boat now."
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
As an immigrant and as a CEO, I've both experienced and seen the
positive impact that immigration has on our company, for the
country, and for the world. We will continue to advocate on this
important topic.
Microsoft President Brad Smith
As a company, Microsoft believes in a strong and balanced
high-skilled immigration system. We also believe in broader
immigration opportunities, like the protections for talented and
law-abiding young people under the Deferred Access for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) Program, often called "Dreamers." We believe that
immigration laws can and should protect the public without
sacrificing people's freedom of expression or religion. And we
believe in the importance of protecting legitimate and law-abiding
refugees whose very lives may be at stake in immigration
proceedings.
(Full statement here.)
Google CEO Sundar Pichai
We're upset about the impact of this order and any proposals
that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or
that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the
U.S....It's painful to see the personal cost of this executive
order on our colleagues.
Uber Technologies CEO Travis Kalanick
Our People Ops team has already reached out to the dozen or so
employees who we know are affected: for example, those who live and
work in the U.S., are legal residents but not naturalized citizens
will not be able to get back into the country if they are traveling
outside of the U.S. now or anytime in the next 90 days. Anyone who
believes that this order could impact them should contact
immigration@uber.com immediately.
This order has far broader implications as it also affects
thousands of drivers who use Uber and come from the listed
countries, many of whom take long breaks to go back home to see
their extended family. These drivers currently outside of the U.S.
will not be able to get back into the country for 90 days. That
means they will not be able to earn a living and support their
families -- and of course they will be separated from their loved
ones during that time.
We are working out a process to identify these drivers and
compensate them pro bono during the next three months to help
mitigate some of the financial stress and complications with
supporting their families and putting food on the table. We will
have more details on this in the coming days.
(Full statement here.)
Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi
Ours is a nation of immigrants. These are our roots, this is our
soul. All erased with the stroke of a pen. I was incredibly
fortunate to arrive in the U.S. with my family after the Iranian
revolution. I don't have an Iranian passport and have never been
back but have no idea if I'm on a list someplace listed as an
Iranian citizen. And I'm a lucky one. We should strive for safe
borders. But we have a responsibility as the world's greatest
nation. And we sure aren't acting our part.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg
My great-grandparents came from Germany, Austria and Poland.
Priscilla's parents were refugees from China and Vietnam. The
United States is a nation of immigrants, and we should be proud of
that.
Like many of you, I'm concerned about the impact of the recent
executive orders signed by President Trump.
We need to keep this country safe, but we should do that by
focusing on people who actually pose a threat. Expanding the focus
of law enforcement beyond people who are real threats would make
all Americans less safe by diverting resources, while millions of
undocumented folks who don't pose a threat will live in fear of
deportation.
(Full statement here.)
Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk
Many people negatively affected by this policy are strong
supporters of the U.S. They've done right, not wrong & don't
deserve to be rejected....The blanket entry ban on citizens from
certain primarily Muslim countries is not the best way to address
the country's challenges
Code.org CEO Hadi Partovi
My family left Iran to escape a bloody war when I was 11, during
the Reagan administration. America welcomed us as legal immigrants
with visas. Code.org and the Hour of Code wouldn't exist
otherwise.
(Facebook post here.)
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky
Open doors brings all of US together. Closing doors further
divides US. Let's all find ways to connect people, not separate
them.
Y Combinator President Sam Altman
The tech community is powerful. Large tech companies in
particular have enormous power and are held in high regard. We need
to hear from the CEOs clearly and unequivocally. Although there is
some business risk in doing so, there is strength in numbers -- if
everyone does it early this coming week, we will all make each
other stronger.
(Full statement here.)
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings
Trump's actions are hurting Netflix employees around the world,
and are so un-American it pains us all. Worse, these actions will
make America less safe (through hatred and loss of allies) rather
than more safe. A very sad week, and more to come with the lives of
over 600,000 Dreamers here in a America under imminent threat. It
is time to link arms together to protect American values of freedom
and opportunity.
(Facebook post here.)
Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff
When we close our hearts & stop loving other people as
ourselves (Mk 12:31) we forget who we truly are -- a light unto the
nations. #noban
Box CEO Aaron Levie
On every level -- moral, humanitarian, economic, logical,
etc.--this ban is wrong and is completely antithetical to the
principles of America.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey
The Executive Order's humanitarian and economic impact is real
and upsetting. We benefit from what refugees and immigrants bring
to the U.S.
Slack Technologies CEO Stewart Butterfield
"And he's just getting started." -- It's still so hard to
believe that this is real life. Nearly every action seems
gratuitously...evil.
LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner
40% of Fortune 500 founded by immigrants or their children. All
ethnicities should have access to opportunity -- founding principle
of U.S.
Dropbox CEO Drew Houston
Executive orders affecting world's most vulnerable are
un-American. Dropbox embraces people from all countries and
faiths
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 29, 2017 00:36 ET (05:36 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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