Microsoft: 'We share the concerns' over Trump's immigration order and are giving employees legal help

Advertisement

Satya Nadella

ANDREW HARRER / BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

Microsoft is providing "legal advice and assistance" to employees who might be affected by President Donald Trump's executive action on immigration, the company says.

Advertisement

On Friday, Donald Trump signed an executive order for "extreme vetting" that halted the US' refugee program and blocked citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for at least 90 days - even people who already have visas and legal permits to live in the United States.

The countries affected are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

"We share the concerns about the impact of the executive order on our employees from the listed countries, all of whom have been in the United States lawfully, and we're actively working with them to provide legal advice and assistance," says a Microsoft spokesperson.

Earlier this week, Microsoft tucked language into its quarterly earnings report, warning that "we are limited in our ability to recruit internationally by restrictive domestic immigration laws," and that "changes to U.S. immigration policies that restrain the flow of technical and professional talent may inhibit our ability to adequately staff our research and development efforts."

Advertisement

Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg have both spoken out against President Trump's immigration action. "It's painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues," Pichai wrote in an e-mail to Google employees.

NOW WATCH: Scientists are saying we're closer to 'Doomsday' - and they blame Trump