Apple, Google, Facebook Among 97 Companies Fighting Trump’s Immigration Policy

It didn't take long after President Trump's presidential inauguration for decisions to be made that impacted a lot of people in one fell swoop. That couldn't be more true than with the recent executive order to temporarily bar entry into the US for a series of predominantly Muslim countries, including Syria, Iraq, and Iran. It instantly prevented many from returning home and gave pause for extreme caution to those of an affected citizenship who were planning to leave the country for a trip.

For some companies, Trump's executive order to ban people from these countries from entering the United States was no different than someone shutting down a production line. You don't have to look far to see examples of how the decision has affected so many people already, and not to mention technology companies - companies that are built on a foundation of diversity.

Flickr Credit: Gage Skidmore

Unsurprisingly, companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, and 94 others have wasted no time in trying to fight Trump's decision. In a move that was a bit hastened over the weekend due to legal challenges, these 97 companies filed an amicus brief that highlighted the importance of immigrants, for both the US society as a whole and the economy.

The brief states, "Immigrants make many of the Nation’s greatest discoveries, and create some of the country’s most innovative and iconic companies." The brief doesn't seem to deny the fact that terrorism is a major concern and that background checks need to be done, but this level of roadblocking is unacceptable to many big tech sector companies that rely on immigrant talent from around the world to help drive innovation. 

Fortunately for some, a judge temporarily lifted Trump's imposed restrictions over the weekend, allowing affected immigrant travelers to fly freely, but it's nothing more than a Band-Aid that's not going to last long, and thus these affected companies (and others not involved) will still have a battle on their hands. Google itself said that 200 of its employees were directly affected by this ban, emphasizing how wide-reaching this decision was.

We're not sure how successful this coalition in tech will prove to be, but there is power in numbers, perhaps.