Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., smiles during a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. Cook will face off against U.S. senators leveling accusations the iPhone maker has created a web of offshore entities to avoid paying billions of dollars in U.S. taxes. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Apple CEO Tim Cook on Saturday sent an email to company employees speaking out against the immigration executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon. In the letter, first shared by MacRumors, Cook tells the Apple faithful Trump’s order is “not a policy we support.”
Team,
In my conversations with officials here in Washington this week, I’ve made it clear that Apple believes deeply in the importance of immigration — both to our company and to our nation’s future. Apple would not exist without immigration, let alone thrive and innovate the way we do.
I’ve heard from many of you who are deeply concerned about the executive order issued yesterday restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. I share your concerns. It is not a policy we support.
There are employees at Apple who are directly affected by yesterday’s immigration order. Our HR, Legal and Security teams are in contact with them, and Apple will do everything we can to support them. We’re providing resources on AppleWeb for anyone with questions or concerns about immigration policies. And we have reached out to the White House to explain the negative effect on our coworkers and our company.
As I’ve said many times, diversity makes our team stronger. And if there’s one thing I know about the people at Apple, it’s the depth of our empathy and support for one another. It’s as important now as it’s ever been, and it will not weaken one bit. I know I can count on all of you to make sure everyone at Apple feels welcome, respected and valued.
Apple is open. Open to everyone, no matter where they come from, which language they speak, who they love or how they worship. Our employees represent the finest talent in the world, and our team hails from every corner of the globe.
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now.”
Tim
President Trump on Friday signed an executive order suspending immigration of all refugees to the United States for a total of 120 days. The order bans Syrian refugees for an indeterminate amount of time and blocks natives of Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Syria, and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days. The order has stranded immigrants at airports around the country and has sparked panic among tech companies with immigrant employees.
