Tim Cook makes it clear that Apple is staunchly opposed to President Donald Trump’s temporary travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, according to a new interview.
“More than any country in the world, this country is strong because of our immigrant background and our capacity and ability as people to welcome people from all kinds of backgrounds,” Cook told The Wall Street Journal. “That’s what makes us special. We ought to pause and really think deeply through that.”
Apple will push the White House to reverse Trump’s controversial executive order — which temporarily bars people from seven terror-plagued countries from entering the United States, and halts all immigration for 120 days — alongside high-profile Silicon Valley executives such as Alphabet’s Sergey Brin. However, according to the Journal, “Mr. Cook declined to elaborate on Apple’s possible legal options.”
Cook noted that he has received “heart-wrenching” messages from Apple employees about Trump’s executive order, which could potentially affect hundreds of Apple employees. “These are people that have friends and family,” Cook said. “They’re co-workers. They’re taxpayers. They’re key parts of the community.”
It’s not clear from the report what potential action Apple plans to take (if any) against the executive order, although Cook previously noted that Apple employees affected by it would be able to draw on Apple’s expert HR, legal and security teams.
Cook, like many in Silicon Valley, has so far enjoyed something of a mixed relationship with Trump. Cook was a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter during her campaign, and was even considered as a possible running mate for her. Trump, meanwhile, attacked Apple for not manufacturing iPhones in the United States, and called for a boycott of the company related to Apple’s refusal to create an iOS security backdoor to aid the FBI.
Trump’s executive order hits Cook on two levels. As someone who has been outspoken about social issues and potential discrimination while running Apple, sentiments like this were never likely to find favor with Cook on a personal level. As numerous news outlets have pointed out, Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian immigrant.
However, there is also a business component. The White House is reportedly working on a new executive order that would compel companies to prioritize American workers over international ones. Given that Apple (as with many tech companies) recruits from around the world, this could wind up being a contentious issue.
“Our country’s immigration policies should be designed and implemented to serve, first and foremost, the U.S. national interest,” the draft proposal reads, according to Bloomberg. “Visa programs for foreign workers … should be administered in a manner that protects the civil rights of American workers and current lawful residents, and that prioritizes the protection of American workers — our forgotten working people — and the jobs they hold.”
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
11 responses to “Apple plans to oppose Trump’s immigration ban”
Tim Cook need to keep is damn mouth shut before he ruins Apple. Your are a BUSINESS, not a PAC. Seems he’s more concerned with money that the safety and security of this nation. May be time I left Apple.
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But the ban doesnt mean any security difference.
It’s just…stupid.
The majority of 9/11 hijackers was from Saudi Arabia (not banned) – maybe because Trump has a lot of hotels there….
Brainwashed DrMuggg, do you know who choose those 7 countries? It was not Trump and his administrative, but Obama and his lefties – in 2015 and 2016. Do you think, they did it because of Trump’s business?
Dude. Where the 9/11 hijackers came from OVER 15 YEARS AGO has no bearing on today’s threats. EVERYTHING has changed and terrorists are coming from MANY MORE places. Besides, you do not have access to the CURRENT intelligence that determined the guidelines of this TEMPORARY ban, so you are in no position to evaluate its merits.
Intelligence had nothing to do with Trump.
LOL! And you know this how?
Please read Isaacson’s book on Steve Jobs, before spreading ignorant and bigoted lies.
Steve Jobs was born in America, and raised by an ordinary American family. Steve Jobs was an American (U.S. Citizen) juvenile delinquent who was given chance after chance to succeed. Yet he did (hehe), thank you America.
Sergey Brin came to the U.S. at age 6 and is ethnically an ordinary American. The other Google founder was born in the Mid-West. Google 100% founded by people who were raised in American culture, by U.S. Citizens, by ordinary Americans. How difficult is that to understand?
We need to get real about things, if you are an American Citizen you don’t inherit special genes from your foreign ancestors, because ulitmately we all have foreign ancestors, at best it is meaningless, but really it is ignorant racism to say it has any meaning.
If you came in before you are teenager, you are basically culturally an ordinary American. You inherit all the good and bad traits of ordinary Americans and there is nothing special about you in regard to immigration. To say there is something special in that, in regards to your ability to function because of you genetics, is IGNORANT RACISM.
Making reference to the founding of many of the popular/successful tech companies as having been founded by immigrants (who are fully and culturally Americans) IS JUST PLAIN OLD IGNORANT RACISM.
It is basically a Racist, Bigotted, and Xenophobic argument, because you are so Xenophobically afraid of American culture and Americans, that you are in denial (and you cannot conceive) that anything good can come from ordinary American Citizens, and ordinary American culture, such as those who founded Google, Apple, and Microsoft, all founded by Americans.
Saying that most of America’s big tech companies were founded by immigrants, because they were immigrants and nothing else, is basically (at best) a lie. But it is more likely just another ignorant and racist rant, that scapegoats ordinary Americans as incapable of doing any economic good in their own country.
Apple needs to be very careful here. Stay out of politics. The temporary ban is just that. A temporary freeze until adequate vetting can take place. What would Tim Cook like to say about proper vetting to the families of the slain San Bernadino victims. The government botched their vetting. And where was Apple when Obama did a similar freeze? Yes, there are some differences. But not so many as to justify this level of so-called outrage. Trump is the only one who fought to get Apple’s overseas fortune to be repatriated. So, stop with the political posturing and focus on your main business.
Why do you need join the army of brainwashed fanatics, not capable to respect democratic elections results? Why do you need vomit again and again dirt on president Trump? BTW, this “Syrian emigrant” left his own children and did not care for them, AMERICAN family raised them. Shut up, Cult of Mac propagandists!
After eight years of monkey jokes and claiming that the president hates America, I don’t think you have any standing to complain. I don’t blame Trump. He repeatedly made it very clear he was unqualified for POTUS.