Leaders from across U.S. technology industry are condemning new restrictions on employment-based visas imposed by President Donald Trump this week.
Tech employers say they use work visas to recruit employees for specialized roles when the U.S. talent pool runs dry. Leaders at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Tesla, YouTube, Apple, Twitter, Salesforce, and other tech companies issued statements criticizing the executive order within a few hours.
“Now is not the time to cut our nation off from the world’s talent or create uncertainty and anxiety,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith in a tweet. “Immigrants play a vital role at our company and support our country’s critical infrastructure. They are contributing to this country at a time when we need them most.”
Tech companies are reliant on several of the visa categories that Trump banned through 2020 in an attempt to shift jobs to American workers as the country recovers from the pandemic-induced economic recession. Trump said the temporary moratorium on H-1B, L, and certain J visas will force companies to hire out-of-work Americans.
“Under ordinary circumstances, properly administered temporary worker programs can provide benefits to the economy,” Trump said in the executive order. “But under the extraordinary circumstances of the economic contraction resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak, certain nonimmigrant visa programs authorizing such employment pose an unusual threat to the employment of American workers.”
Trump’s latest move extends an April executive order temporarily blocking green card authorizations and adds additional employment-based visa categories. But the president’s attempts to curb legal immigration the U.S. predate the pandemic, leading some in the tech industry to doubt the motivations of the executive order.
“The Trump administration has been ratcheting up work visa restrictions from the beginning, when unemployment was low,” said Doug Rand, co-founder of the Seattle startup Boundless Immigration and a former Obama White House official. “The pandemic is just a pretext to continue pursuing an extreme agenda of restriction that most Americans oppose.”
Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn is one of several tech leaders who expressed concern about the impact the order will have on American economic competitiveness:
Imagine if Real Madrid Or Barcelona could only hire players from Spain. They probably wouldn’t be the best in the world anymore. This is what the new executive orders will do to American technology companies.
— Luis von Ahn (@LuisvonAhn) June 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/amazon_policy/status/1275179193106665480
Immigration has contributed immensely to America’s economic success, making it a global leader in tech, and also Google the company it is today. Disappointed by today’s proclamation – we’ll continue to stand with immigrants and work to expand opportunity for all.
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) June 22, 2020
Very much disagree with this action. In my experience, these skillsets are net job creators. Visa reform makes sense, but this is too broad.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 23, 2020
Immigration is central to America's story, and it's central to my own family's story. My family escaped danger and found a new home in America. @sundarpichai is right – at @YouTube, we join Google in standing with immigrants and working to expand opportunity for all. https://t.co/ExJ5KT84ix
— Susan Wojcicki (@SusanWojcicki) June 23, 2020
Like Apple, this nation of immigrants has always found strength in our diversity, and hope in the enduring promise of the American Dream. There is no new prosperity without both. Deeply disappointed by this proclamation.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) June 23, 2020
If you truly believe in “America First” then you’d want to bet on people that have uprooted their lives to come to America to study and contribute research, help us innovate, join our workforces, or start new companies. That’s as America First as it gets.
— Aaron Levie (@levie) June 23, 2020
As we plan for recovery from the COVID-19 crisis let's focus on common sense & fair immigration policies. H-1B workers should be treated with respect & dignity. They generate real innovation & growth . . . benefiting us all and fueling the our economy. We embrace all our Ohana.
— Marc Benioff (@Benioff) June 23, 2020
Statement on US high-skilled immigration proclamation:
"This proclamation undermines America’s greatest economic asset: its diversity. People from all over the world come here to join our labor force, pay taxes, and contribute to our global competitiveness on the world stage.
— Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) June 22, 2020
