A number of executives for major tech companies spoke out against the Muslim ban over the weekend, saying their businesses could not function without immigrants and that it was a “sad day” for America.
On Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting migration from Muslim-majority countries, including from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, and prohibited these nationals from entering the country for at least the next 90 days. Refugee admission has been suspended for at least 120 days.
On Saturday, a federal judge ruled in favor of a temporary restraining order preventing those currently being held at U.S. airports from being deported. It was not a final ruling on the constitutionality of the executive order.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg
On Friday afternoon, Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook that the U.S. should focus on those who “actually pose a threat.” It was unclear exactly who Zuckerberg thought would 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,” Zuckerberg wrote. “We should also keep our doors open to refugees and those who need help. That’s who we are.”
He added that his wife’s family came to the U.S. as refugees.
Apple CEO Tim Cook
In an email to Apple employees, Cook said Apple does not support Trump’s executive action and that the company, which was founded by Steve Jobs, the son of a Syrian immigrant, “would not exist without immigration.” Cook added:
“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 coworkers and our company.”
Lyft CEO Logan Green and CEO of Lyft President and Co-founder John Zimmer
The Lyft executives also sent an email to employees decrying the policy.
“We stand firmly against these actions, and we will not be silent on issues that would threaten the values of our community,” they wrote.
John Zimmer & Logan green just sent this to lyft employees: pic.twitter.com/GicnfvcHUM
— Priya Anand (@Priyasideas) January 29, 2017
Lyft executives’ decision to speak out against the ban is particularly significant given the decision of its business rival, Uber, to suspend surge pricing from JFK. This decision lessened the effectiveness of the New York City Taxi Worker’s Alliance’s action to stop all airport pickups on Saturday. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick will also part of the Trump administration’s economic advisory group. As a result, people are protesting the Muslim ban by deleting their Uber app and #DeleteUber is trending on Twitter. When you delete the app, and tell Uber it is for the purpose of protesting against the ban, this is the response:
Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith
Microsoft Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith sent an email to employees opposing the ban on Saturday. Smith wrote:
“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.”
Nadella posted this part of Smith’s email on LinkedIn and added, “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.”
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings
The CEO of the popular video-streaming company posted a statement on Facebook Saturday. Hastings said Trump’s actions are hurting Netflix employees around the globe. He added that the ban will make America less safe:
“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.”
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz
Starbucks is taking things a step further. In an open letter, Schultz announced that, in response to Trump, Starbucks would hire 10,000 refugees.
We have a long history of hiring young people looking for opportunities and a pathway to a new life around the world. This is why we are doubling down on this commitment by working with our equity market employees as well as joint venture and licensed market partners in a concerted effort to welcome and seek opportunities for those fleeing war, violence, persecution and discrimination. There are more than 65 million citizens of the world recognized as refugees by the United Nations, and we are developing plans to hire 10,000 of them over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business. And we will start this effort here in the U.S. by making the initial focus of our hiring efforts on those individuals who have served with U.S. troops as interpreters and support personnel in the various countries where our military has asked for such support.
Airbnb also announced a bold move, promising to provide free housing to “refugees and anyone not allowed in the U.S.”
On Sunday, Nike sent a letter to all employees blasting Trump’s executive order. Nike athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah is concerned he will be targeted by Trump’s new policy.
Farah was born in Somalia, one of the countries impact by Trump’s ban. He is a British citizen now and is currently training in Ethiopia. (Dual citizens are not exempted from Trump’s order.) He is scheduled to return to Portland in March. “Nike stands together against bigotry,” Nike CEO Mark Parker wrote.
Other executives who have spoken out against the ban include Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman, LinkedIn CEO Jeffrey Weiner, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and Salesforce CEO Mark Benioff.
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