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Trump ban order: From Zuckerberg, Nadella to Musk, here is how top US tech heads have protested

Here is what the top CEO's had to say in condemnation of Trump's ban on seven Muslim countries.

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Donald Trump's much despotic move to impose a three-month ban on seven Muslim countries has caused chaos, panic, furore and definitely garnered a lot of criticism from around the world. 

Standing up against him are top executives who rule the tech world including Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Uber, Netflix, Tesla amongst others. 

The newly-elected 45th President of United States, on Saturday, signed an executive order to suspend the arrival of refugees, migrants and travellers from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia in a move to "keep radical Islamic terrorists" out of America. 

Condemning the move, Microsoft's Satya Nadella in a post on LinkedIn said, "As an immigrant and as a CEO, I've both experienced and seen the positive impact that immigration has on our company, for the country, and for the world. We will continue to advocate on this important topic,"

Microsoft President Brad Smith said as many as 76 Microsoft employees are affected by this new executive order.

"We appreciate that immigration issues are important to a great many people across Microsoft at a principled and even personal level, regardless of whether they personally are immigrants. Satya has spoken of this importance on many occasions, not just to Microsoft but to himself personally. He has done so publicly as well as in the private meetings that he and I have attended with government leaders," Smith said. He added, "As a company, Microsoft believes in a strong and balanced high-skilled immigration system,"

India-born Google's CEO Sundar Pichai also criticised the Trump's order and in an email to staff said the ban would hit nearly 200 Google employees. 

"It is painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues. We re upset about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the US," Pichai said.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was one of the first to address the ban publicly.

"We need to keep this country safe, but we should do that by focusing on people who actually pose a threat. Expanding the focus of law enforcement beyond people who are real threats would make all Americans less safe by diverting resources...," he wrote on Facebook.

He called for keeping doors open to refugees and those who need help. "That's who we are. Had we turned away refugees a few decades ago, Priscilla's family wouldn't be here today," he said. "My great grandparents came from Germany, Austria and Poland. Priscilla's parents were refugees from China and Vietnam. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and we should be proud of that," he asserted. 

Twitter's CEO Jack Dorsey also condemned the immigration order, saying the "humanitarian and economic impact of the ban is real and upsetting. Twitter is built by immigrants of all religions. We stand for and with them, always. We benefit from what refugees and immigrants bring to the US," Dorsey said.

Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed concern over the order, saying his company's success is because of the immigrants. "I've heard from many of you who are deeply concerned about the executive order issued yesterday restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. I share your concerns. It is not a policy we support," he wrote to his employees.
"There are employees at Apple who are directly affected by yesterday's immigration order. Our HR, Legal and Security teams are in contact with them, and Apple will do everything we can to support them," he said.

Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick said he will raise the issue with Trump when he along with other business advisers will meet the US President. 

"The blanket entry ban on citizens from certain primarily Muslim countries is not the best way to address the country's challenges," tweeted Elon Musk of Tesla. "Many people negatively affected by this policy are strong supporters of the US. They've done right, not wrong and don't deserve to be rejected," he said.

Reed Hastings of Netflix in a Facebook post said Trump's actions are hurting Netflix employees around the world. "Worse, these actions will make America less safe (through hatred and loss of allies) rather than more safe. A very sad week, and more to come with the lives of over 600,000 Dreamers here in a America under imminent threat. It is time to link arms together to protect American values of freedom and opportunity," Hastings said.

(With PTI inputs)

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