San Francisco - Ninety-seven
companies, from Apple to Zynga, filed an impassioned legal brief condemning
President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, stepping up the
industry’s growing opposition to the policy.
The amicus brief
was filed late Sunday in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and emphasizes the
importance of immigrants in the economy and society. The companies originally
planned to file the brief later this coming week, but accelerated efforts over
the weekend after other legal challenges to the order, according to people
familiar with the matter.
The
participating technology companies include Airbnb, Facebook, Google, Intel,
Netflix, Snap and Uber Technologies. Companies beyond technology signed on as
well, including Levi Strauss & Co. and yogurt maker Chobani.
"Immigrants
make many of the Nation’s greatest discoveries, and create some of the
country’s most innovative and iconic companies," the brief states.
“America has long recognized the importance of protecting ourselves against
those who would do us harm. But it has done so while maintaining our
fundamental commitment to welcoming immigrants—through increased background
checks and other controls on people seeking to enter our country.”
Late Friday, a US
District judge temporarily lifted the Trump administration’s ban, freeing
refugees and visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries to enter
the US An appeals court declined to immediately reinstate the immigration
restrictions over the weekend.
The technology
industry has been among the most vocal in opposition to Trump’s immigration
policies.
Bloomberg News
reported earlier that several large tech companies, including Microsoft and
Alphabet, are planning to sign an open letter to President Trump expressing
concern about the immigration order and offering help fixing it and other
policies.
"We share
your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets today’s security needs
and keeps our country safe," said a draft of that letter obtained by
Bloomberg News. "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.”
Uber Chief
Executive Officer Travis Kalanick stepped down from President Trump’s business
advisory council last week after criticism from customers and drivers. His
participation in the council, along with more than a dozen other U.S.
executives, prompted blow-back on social media after the controversial executive
order on immigration. It snowballed into a #DeleteUber campaign that benefited
rival Lyft.
“Immigration and
openness to refugees is an important part of our country’s success and quite
honestly to Uber’s,” Kalanick wrote in an e-mail to employees obtained by
Bloomberg. “There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on
immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that. The
executive order is hurting many people in communities all across America.”