Senator Challenges Zuckerberg: 'Hire American Workers For A Change'

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) had some harsh words for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in a speech he delivered on the Senate floor Wednesday evening that was published in the National Review on Thursday.

The speech attributed President Barack Obama's plans for potential executive action that would offer amnesty to some undocumented immigrants to meetings between White House officials and "the world's most powerful corporate and immigration lobbyists and activists who think border controls are for the little people." Sessions identified Zuckerberg as a leader among pro-immigration business people.

"Mr. Zuckerberg - who has become the top spokesman for expanding the admission of foreign workers - championed the Senate immigration bill for which all of our Democratic colleagues voted," said Sessions. "One of the things the bill did was double the supply of low-wage foreign workers brought into the United States for companies such as Facebook."

Sessions pointed to Zuckerberg's non-profit pro-immigration advocacy group FWD.us as evidence of the Facebook founder's influence on policy. He also noted a Business Insider report from last year describing how Zuckerberg bought four properties surrounding his home for privacy.

"Well, the 'masters of the universe' are very fond of open borders as long as these open borders don't extend to their gated compounds and fenced-off estates," Sessions quipped.

Sessions argued tech industry executives have falsely claimed there is a shortage of the educated workers they need to operate here in the country. He specifically challenged Zuckerberg, who he noted "just turned 30" and "is worth about $30 billion," to hire more American workers.

"I would pose a question to Mr. Zuckerberg. I read in the news that Facebook is now worth more than $200 billion. Is that not enough money to hire American workers for a change?" said Sessions. "Your company now employs roughly 7,000 people. Let's say you want to expand your workforce 10 percent, or hire another 700 workers. Are you claiming you can't find 700 Americans who would take these jobs if you paid a good wage and decent benefits?"

Sessions also suggested Zuckerberg wasn't doing enough to hire American workers laid off by other companies.

"Let me just say one more thing: Facebook has 7,000 workers. Microsoft just laid off 18,000. Why doesn't Mr. Zuckerberg call his friend Mr. (Bill) Gates and say: Look, I have to hire a few hundred people; do you have any résumés you can send over here?" Sessions said. "Maybe I will not have to take somebody from a foreign country for a job an unemployed U.S. citizen might take."

Read Sessions' entire speech here.