Skip to content
News

Nearly 100 Companies, Including Apple and Uber, Speak Out Against Trump’s Travel Ban in New Court Brief

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 3: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders in the Oval Office of the White House, including an order to review the Dodd-Frank Wall Street to roll back financial regulations of the Obama era February 3, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Aude Guerrucci - Pool/Getty Images)

As Bloomberg originally reported, 97 tech companies have signed an amicus brief expressing their opposition to Trump’s recent executive order that would ban visitors to the U.S. from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Signees include representatives from Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Uber, Twitter, Netflix, Snap, Kickstarter, and Airbnb. It was filed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington on Sunday night.

One section of the 21-page “argument” statement that makes up much of the document reads:

Immigrants make many of the Nation’s greatest discoveries, and create some of the country’s most innovative and iconic companies. 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.

According to Bloomberg, the brief is likely a precursor to an additional open letter to Trump by several of the tech companies involved. Bloomberg quoted a draft of that letter: “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.”

Trump’s executive order was signed and immediately put into effect on January 27, before being put on temporary hold by federal judge James Robart of Washington state on Friday. A subsequent appeal by the government was denied early Sunday, prompting a flurry of angry, repetitive Trump tweets lashing out at “so-called judge” Robart and the U.S. court system in general. The Washington Post estimated last week that the travel ban had affected approximately 90,000 people while active.