Apple is considering taking legal action against President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration. Apple CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal that hundreds of Apple employees have been affected by the order. He also noted the company would be supporting employee fundraising efforts for relief to refugees. Apple will match employees’ donations to refugee relief funds on a two-to-one basis.
[Cook said] that he continues to contact “very, very senior people in the White House” and impress on them why repealing the executive order is important not only for Apple but for the country.
“More than any country in the world, this country is strong because of our immigrant background and our capacity and ability as people to welcome people from all kinds of backgrounds. That’s what makes us special,” said Mr. Cook. “We ought to pause and really think deeply through that.”
Cook told the publication about the “heart-wrenching” emails he’d received from Apple employees affected by the travel ban.
One employee who’s expecting a child said the future grandparents have Canadian and Iranian citizenship and won’t be able to visit to meet their new grandchild.
On Saturday, Cook sent an email to Apple employees, in which he discussed the importance of immigration to Apple, telling them Trump’s order is “not a policy we support.”
Apple is not the only tech firm taking action to fight President Trump’s executive order banning immigration from seven countries where Muslims are in the majority. Microsoft, Amazon, and Expedia are filing court declarations in support of a lawsuit filed by the Washington state attorney general, seeking to have the order rescinded.
