Huge tech companies, including Twitter, Microsoft, Facebook and Apple, filed an amicus brief tonight voicing opposition to Donald Trump’s controversial executive order. As we know, President Trump signed an immigration ban for seven countries.
Key Points
So, this week, several tech companies filed their brief in a case brought by Washington and Minnesota, which challenge the President’s executive order.
Tesla Inc. and SpaceX were among 31 companies added to the brief late Monday afternoon. Elon Musk, CEO of both Tesla and SpaceX, is the last remaining technology executive on Trump’s business council. |
To be added that Trump’s administration appealed the case to the 9th Circuit. This move comes after a federal judge in Seattle halted the immigration ban.
But, Donald Trump didn’t like this decision and launched an attack against U.S. District Judge James Robart in a series of tweets.
For example Trump wrote in a Twitter post that :
The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!”
President Trump continues with: “Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system.”
Read the full Report(Forbes) Nearly 100 Tech Companies Join Forces In Court To Oppose Donald Trump’s Immigration Ban
We must mention that the tech companies originally planned to file the brief later this coming week, but they decided to accelerate efforts over the weekend after other legal challenges to the order.
As we already mentioned, some of these huge companies are Facebook, Apple, Airbnb Inc., Google, Netflix Inc., Intel Corp., Uber Technologies Inc. and Snap Inc.
But, it is important to know that other companies beyond technology signed as well, for example yogurt maker Chobani LLC and Levi Strauss & Co.
The 5 Biggest Tech Companies Lost $32 Billion In Value Over Donald Trump’s Muslim Ban
“Immigrants make many of the Nation’s greatest discoveries, and create some of the country’s most innovative and iconic companies,” writes the brief.
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.”
“The order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth … [It] makes it more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to recruit, hire, and retain some of the world’s best employees … And it threatens companies’ ability to attract talent, business, and investment to the United States,” the brief says.
This brief is the latest ripple effect from the ban, which lead to huge protests across the nation and draw a fast reaction from the tech industry.
All of these huge tech companies have voiced their opposition to the order when it was announced just over a week ago. Some of the people who lead this opposition include senior figures from many companies, including Apple’s CEO Tim Cook.
Another interesting move came from Travis Kalanick, CEO of Uber, who decided to resign from Trump’s economic advisory council. As we mentioned, Uber is one of the companies who signed the brief.
“Immigration and openness to refugees is an important part of our country’s success and quite honestly to Uber’s,” wrote Travis Kalanick in an email to employees and 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,” the email added.