Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks act to support ‘Dreamers’

Companies back lawsuit challenging Trump move to end scheme for undocumented children

Hannah Kuchler in San Francisco
September 7, 2017

Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks have filed sworn statements supporting a lawsuit that challenges President Donald Trump’s decision to end the programme that protects undocumented migrants brought to the US as children.

The companies, all based in Washington state, are supporting the attorneys-general from 15 traditionally Democratic states and the District of Columbia who have filed a lawsuit aiming to stop the administration from scrapping the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme.

Several of the Dreamers — migrants brought into the country when they were under 16 — work for these companies, the complaint, filed in New York, said.

“Many companies in Washington are dependent on Daca grantees to operate and grow their businesses. Daca recipients work for our state’s largest companies as software engineers, finance professionals, and retail and sales associates, including for Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks,” the complaint reads.

Mr Trump’s decision announced on Tuesday is a victory for immigration hardliners. But even after announcing his plans to end the programme, he appeared to leave the door open to reform, tweeting: “Congress now has 6 months to legalise Daca (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can’t, I will revisit this issue!”

Amazon said it knew of nine employees who had been protected by Daca, a programme brought in by former President Barack Obama. The declaration said that if these employees lose their status and are deported, Amazon will “suffer injury”.

Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer of Microsoft, said on Tuesday that the software maker had 39 employees who were Dreamers. He called on Congress for “urgent Daca legislation”, saying that scrapping the programme could be a “big step back” for the entire country.

Mr Trump’s decision to scrap the Daca programme has enraged business leaders. More than 300 leaders from chief executives to venture capitalists warned last week that the 800,000 Dreamers are “vital to the future of our companies and our economy”.

The decision has become the latest battle between Mr Trump and corporate America, following the mass resignations from his advisory councils because of his response to the recent white nationalist violence in Charlottesville.

The technology industry has been particularly vocal in support of immigration reform, with Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook chief executive and founder, leading a Facebook Live interview from his home with several Dreamers on Wednesday. He said ending DACA was “one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in a long time”.

Almost 100 tech companies including Tesla and Airbnb signed an amicus brief in February in support of a lawsuit against the so-called travel ban that restricted travel to the US from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

https://www.ft.com/content/74fd7b78-...6-11d2f0ebb7f0