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TECHNOLOGY Monday 30 January 2017

Tech companies protest Trump immigration order

MAE ANDERSON “We’re concerned about
AP Technology Writer the impact of this order
NEW YORK (AP) — Google, and any proposals that
Apple and other tech gi- could impose restrictions
ants expressed dismay on Googlers and their fam-
over an executive order on ilies, or that could create
immigration from President barriers to bringing great
Donald Trump that bars talent to the U.S.”
nationals of seven Muslim- Microsoft also said it is pro-
majority countries from en- viding legal advice and
tering the U.S. assistance to its employees
The U.S tech industry relies from the banned countries,
on foreign engineers and noting they are all working
other technical experts in the U.S. lawfully.
for a sizeable percentage A BIGGER ISSUE
of its workforce. The order The tech industry may be
bars entry to the U.S. for bracing for further immi-
anyone from Iran, Iraq, Lib- gration-related hits. Leaks
ya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria of draft executive orders,
and Yemen for 90 days. still unverified, suggest that
The move, ostensibly in- Trump might also revamp
tended to prevent extrem- the H1-B program that lets
ists from carrying out at- Silicon Valley bring for-
tacks in the U.S., could now eigners with technical skills
also heighten tensions be- to the U.S. for three to six
tween the new Trump ad- years.
ministration and one of the While the tech industry in-
nation’s most economical- sists the H1-B program is
ly and culturally important vital, it has drawn fire for
industries. That’s especially allegedly disadvantaging
true if Trump goes on to re- In this June 13, 2016 file photo, The Apple logo is shown on a screen at the Apple Worldwide De- American programmers
vamp the industry’s tempo- velopers Conference in the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, in San Francisco. and engineers, especially
rary worker permits known Associated Press given that the visas are
as H-1B visas, as some fear. widely used by outsourc-
BITING BACK Apple co-founder Steve on Twitter that he would sult with the company’s hu- ing firms.
“I share your concerns” Jobs, the son of a Syrian im- match ACLU donations up man resources department Trump’s attorney general
about Trump’s immigra- migrant. to $75,000 after the organi- if they’re not currently in nominee, Sen. Jeff Ses-
tion order, Apple CEO Tim Netflix CEO Reed Hast- zation sued over the ban — the U.S., according to a sions, is a long-time critic of
Cook wrote in a memo to ings was forcefully blunt. and then decided to do- company-wide note de- the program.
employees obtained by “Trump’s actions are hurt- nate another $75,000 , for scribed to The Associated Venky Ganesan, a man-
The Associated Press. “It is ing Netflix employees a total of $150,000. EBay Press. That memo was first aging director at venture
not a policy we support.” around the world, and are founder Pierre Omidyar, reported by Bloomberg capitalist firm Menlo Ven-
“We have reached out to so un-American it pains the child of Iranians, com- and the Wall Street Journal. tures, acknowledged that
the White House to explain us all,” he wrote on Face- plained that the order was Google CEO Sundar Pichai the program is “not per-
the negative effect on our book . “Worse, these ac- “simple bigotry .” told employees in the note fect” and subject to some
coworkers and our compa- tions will make America less Tesla Motors and SpaceX that at least 187 Google abuse, but noted that it
ny,” he added. safe (through hatred and founder Elon Musk, who has workers could be affected provides an invaluable
Cook didn’t say how many loss of allies) rather than recently appeared to be by Trump’s order. It is not source of skilled workers
Apple employees are di- more safe.” cultivating a relationship clear how many of those and plays a “pivotal” role
rectly affected by the “It is time to link arms to- with Trump, tweeted that workers are currently travel- in the tech industry.
order, but said the com- gether to protect Ameri- “many people negatively ing outside the U.S. “We’ve “If we want to buy Ameri-
pany’s HR, legal and secu- can values of freedom affected by this policy are always made our views on can and hire American, we
rity teams are in contact and opportunity,” he con- strong supporters of the US” immigration known publicly do that best by creating
to support them. “Apple tinued. Facebook founder who don’t “deserve to be and will continue to do so,” companies in America,”
would not exist without im- Mark Zuckerberg criticized rejected.” Musk is an immi- Pichai said in the memo. he said. :Having the best
migration, let alone thrive the order in similar, though grant from South Africa. Company representatives and brightest from all over
and innovate the way we more carefully couched, GOOGLE GRUMBLES declined to discuss the the world come and cre-
do,” Cook wrote — an ap- terms on Friday . Google told its employ- memo or to answer ques- ate companies in America
parent reference not only Technology investor Chris ees from those countries tions about the affected is better than them creat-
to the company’s foreign- Sacca, an early backer of to cancel any travel plans employees. In an official ing companies in India, Is-
born employees, but to Uber and Instagram, said outside the U.S. and to con- statement, Google said: rael or China.”q