INTC Intel Corporation

By Greg Bensinger 

A group of nearly 100 technology companies including Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google are banding together to fight the Trump administration's controversial travel ban.

In a joint amicus brief filed in the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Sunday, the firms challenged President Donald Trump's executive order which temporarily restricts citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. The administration says the ban is required to keep terrorists out.

The federal appeals court in San Francisco is reviewing an appeal by the administration after a federal judge in Seattle put a temporary hold on the restrictions late last week. Over the weekend, Mr. Trump criticized U.S. District Judge James Robart's ruling to issue a restraining order against enforcement of the travel ban.

The companies, which include Facebook Inc., Microsoft Corp., eBay Inc., Intel Corp. and Uber Technologies Inc., among others, charge the executive order violates the Constitution, is discriminatory and hinders their ability to recruit talent.

"The order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth," the companies state, according to a copy of the brief reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. "The order effects a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the United States, and is inflicting substantial harm on U.S. companies."

The brief is the latest salvo in a simmering standoff between Silicon Valley technology companies and the Trump administration, still in its first month. Under pressure from customers and employees, Uber Chief Executive Travis Kalanick last week stepped down from a business leader advisory committee to the president, and the heads of Apple and Alphabet have openly criticized the president.

Some of these tech companies are also organizing a letter to Mr. Trump to protest the immigration order, and to offer their help in formulating an alternative policy. At a meeting on Friday of the president's business advisory council, Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk said he voiced concerns about the order. Tesla isn't listed in Sunday's brief.

The administration has said the 90-day ban is necessary to insure the safety of U.S. borders and implement safeguards against potential terrorism.

But the swiftness of the executive order sent many companies reeling, concerned that employees traveling abroad would be unable to return to work. Uber's Mr. Kalanick sent a tweet over the weekend promising to fund return airfares for stranded workers after the stay on the ban was issued. Microsoft, which has said at least 76 of its employees were affected by the order, sent a letter last week pressing the Trump administration to quickly create a process to grant exceptions.

Amazon.com Inc. was a notable absence in Sunday's brief, since the e-commerce company has vowed to fight the ban and even signed on to a lawsuit filed by the Washington state attorney general, along with Microsoft. A spokesman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment late Sunday.

Write to Greg Bensinger at greg.bensinger@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 06, 2017 03:44 ET (08:44 GMT)

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024