President Trump’s order banning immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. began hitting the tech industry Saturday, with Google’s CEO leading a growing list of tech executives condemning the ban.
The CEOs of Microsoft, Apple, Netflix and Uber denounced with the policy, which would affect their own employees working here legally, as well as their competitive quest for talent.
“Trump’s actions are hurting Netflix employees around the world, and are so un-American it pains us all,” Netflix CEO and founder Reed Hastings said in a Facebook post. “It is time to link arms together to protect American values of freedom and opportunity.”
In a staff memo, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the move affects at least 187 of the Internet giant’s staff.
“We’re concerned 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.,” Google said in a statement. “We’ll continue to make our views on these issues known to leaders in Washington and elsewhere.”
The president’s executive order suspends the entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, halts the admission of refugees from Syria indefinitely and bars entry for three months to residents from the predominantly Muslim countries of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
The order made good on one of Trump’s most controversial campaign promises, a series of Muslim-focused restrictions he says should prevent terrorists from entering U.S. soil. For many of his supporters, preventing or delaying legal immigrants from returning to high-paid tech jobs, which they say should go to U.S.-born workers anyway, is a small price to pay for the promise of more security.
The move is already roiling the tech industry, with affected employees being urged to return to the U.S. and consult with corporate immigration experts.
Internet Association President and CEO Michael Beckerman said the Internet industry is “deeply concerned” by Trump’s order.
“While this order impacts many companies outside of the tech industry, Internet companies in particular thrive in the U.S. because the best and the brightest are able to create innovative products and services right here in America,” Beckerman said in an emailed statement. “While we support President Trump’s efforts to grow our economy and allow ‘people of great talent’ to come into the U.S., the executive order signed yesterday has troubling consequences.”
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SOURCE: USA Today, Jessica Guynn and Laura Mandaro
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