In the backlash over Trump’s executive order on immigration, Alphabet, Apple, Facebook, Uber, Stripe, CPG and various manufacturing companies have penned a letter opposing U.S. President Trump’s travel ban, ReCode reported overnight.
The letter stresses that the executive order’s blanket “suspension” – it avoids the word “ban” – is “not the right approach” to strengthening national security. The letter also argues in favor of supporting the DACA program. The goal is to publish the open letter this week, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. Changes are still being made to the document, and it’s possible it may not be released.
“We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets today’s security needs and keeps our country safe,” said a draft of the letter. “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.” The draft, noted by Bloomberg, also states that “our nation’s compassion is part of what makes it exceptional,” and continues by offering to help the administration come up with ways to set up thorough screening while avoiding a complete suspension to U.S. refugee programs. The companies also offer aid in resolving the status of the 750,000 so-called “Dreamers,” undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and governed by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The program, created by former President Barack Obama in 2012, has allowed more than 700,000 people to obtain renewable two-year work permits.
The companies note that they hire “both thousands of Americans and some of the most talented people from abroad, who work together to help our companies succeed and expand our overall employment.” The letter ends by asking President Trump to use the companies as “a resource to help achieve immigration policies that both support the work of American businesses and reflect American values.”
The full draft of the letter is below, courtesy of ReCode:
Dear President Trump,
Since the country’s birth, America has been the land of opportunity — welcoming newcomers and giving them the chance to build families, careers and businesses in the United States. We are a nation made stronger by immigrants. As entrepreneurs and business leaders, our ability to grow our companies and create jobs depends on the contributions of immigrants from all backgrounds.
We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets today’s security needs and keeps our country safe. 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. In a global economy, it is critical that we continue to attract the best and brightest from around the world. We welcome the changes your administration has made in recent days in how the Department of Homeland Security will implement the executive order, and we stand ready to help your administration identify other opportunities to ensure that our employees can travel with predictability and without undue delay.
Our nation’s compassion is a part of what makes it exceptional, and we are committed to helping your administration identify approaches for thorough screening without a blanket suspension of admissions under the U.S. Refugee Admissions program. While security and vetting procedures can and should always be subject to continuous evaluation and improvement, a blanket suspension is not the right approach.
Similarly, we stand ready to identify ways of helping to achieve your stated goal of bringing clarity to the future of the 750,000 Dreamers in this country under the protections of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in a way “that will make people happy and proud.” Removing these protections by barring renewals would effectively end the program and eliminate the ability for these Dreamers to work and live without the fear of deportation.
The business community shares your commitment to growing the American economy and expanding job creation across the country. We hire both thousands of Americans and some of the most talented people from abroad, who work together to help our companies succeed and expand our overall employment. As you contemplate changes to the nation’s complex and interconnected immigration policies, whether business and employment-based visas, refugees or DACA, we hope that you will use us as a resource to help achieve immigration policies that both support the work of American businesses and reflect American values.
At least this draft contained no reference to any proposed H1-B visa changes by the Trump administration.
via http://ift.tt/2kVF3cv Tyler Durden