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40 Reactions (and Counting) to Trump's Travel Ban From Richard Branson to Sheryl Sandberg The tech industry responded with shock and offers to help.

By Linda Lacina

Andy Cross | The Denver Post | Getty Images

Late last Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that temporarily suspended refugee admission to the U.S. and banned citizens from 7 muslim-dominated countries from traveling to the U.S.

The order affects citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for at least the next 90 days -- and is impacting those with valid visas or permanent residence permits.

Interpretation of the order has evolved since the order's signing. For instance, agencies changed position on whether green card holders from these countries were or weren't covered by the executive order. As of Sunday, the government says it will try to ease this group's entry into the country, provided the traveler has no criminal background or terrorist ties.

Friday's order also suspended a visa waiver interview program that made it easier for frequent travelers (including tourists and businesspeople) from 38 nations (countries such as Australia, France and Iceland) to come to the United States. With the interview waivers suspended, some in this group will need formal one-on-one interviews at U.S. embassies to renew their authorizations, slowing travel.

Businesses -- including some of tech's biggest names -- responded to the order with dismay and shock. Some worried that the chaos seen at airports across the country this weekend would find its way to the technology sector, stifling innovation and the flow of ideas as the inconsistently interpreted order made it harder to predict who can enter or leave the United States. Some founders called the ban immoral or un-American while others offered ways to help both refugees and their own workers and families. Still others, some on special advisory boards with the new administration, offered to find ways to fix the situation.

Here are a sampling of their reactions.

Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group: This sets a dangerous precedent.

In a blog post, Branson expressed his and Virgin Group's opposition to the ban, praising Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's welcoming of refugees and writing about immigrants such as Albert Einstein and Madeleine Albright who have made a positive, lasting impact on the country and the world.

"I applaud the thousands who have taken to the streets and the airwaves in solidarity across the U.S.; the hundreds of lawyers camping out at airports and donating their time to fight the good fight on behalf of those caught up in this mess; the brave federal judges who have shown that checks and balances are still in place. They all stand for a kinder, gentler and more welcoming America -- the America that is admired the world over."

Reed Hastings, CEO, Netflix: Ban "Un-American"

The top exec at the streaming media company said, "Trump's actions are hurting Netflix employees around the world, and are so un-American it pains us all. 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."

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, Facebook: Let’s focus on real threats

The social media exec said he was concerned about the order's impact and if it helped more than it hurt. He said, "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, while millions of undocumented folks who don't pose a threat will live in fear of deportation."

Tim Cook, CEO, Apple: Workers have our support

In a letter to employees, Cook wrote that the order was "not a policy we support." The company acknowledged the many employees who could be impacted by it and promised the company's assistance. "We have reached out to the White House to explain the negative effect on our co-workers and our company."

Here is the full text of the email, first published on Buzzfeed.

Team,

In my conversations with officials here in Washington this week, I've made it clear that Apple believes deeply in the importance of immigration — both to our company and to our nation's future. Apple would not exist without immigration, let alone thrive and innovate the way we do.

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.

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. We're providing resources on AppleWeb for anyone with questions or concerns about immigration policies. And we have reached out to the White House to explain the negative effect on our coworkers and our company.

As I've said many times, diversity makes our team stronger. And if there's one thing I know about the people at Apple, it's the depth of our empathy and support for one another. It's as important now as it's ever been, and it will not weaken one bit. I know I can count on all of you to make sure everyone at Apple feels welcome, respected and valued.

Apple is open. Open to everyone, no matter where they come from, which language they speak, who they love or how they worship. Our employees represent the finest talent in the world, and our team hails from every corner of the globe.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, "We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now."

Tim

Jack Dorsey, CEO, Twitter: “Economic impact is real”

Twitter's CEO followed the story throughout the weekend on his personal account, saying the ban was "upsetting" and reminding followers that many Syrian immigrants are small business owners.

Twitter offered its own company response

Brian Chesky, Founder, Airbnb: Help for those stranded

The home rental marketplace founder offered housing to those impacted by the ban.

Travis Kalanik, Founder, Uber: This order affects thousands

Uber's Travis Kalanick announced compensation for any drivers impacted by the travel bans over the next 90 days and offered to discuss the order's impact with the President this week. (Kalanick is on an during an economic advisory board with business leaders such as GM's Mary Barra and IBM's Ginni Rometty.)

Uber also suspended surge pricing to and from New York's JFK airport on Saturday -- a move that was met with mixed results since it coincided with a protest that swarmed the airport and a strike from the NY Taxi Workers Alliance. Some felt the surge suspension was opportunistic and disloyal to the taxi drivers. The company later apologized for the misunderstanding.

Logan Green, CEO, Lyft: “We will not be silent.”

Lyft's Logan Green condemned the travel ban in an email to its users and pledged a $1 million donation to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Here is the full text of the email to users:

We created Lyft to be a model for the type of community we want our world to be: diverse, inclusive and safe.

This weekend, Trump closed the country's borders to refugees, immigrants, and even documented residents from around the world based on their country of origin. Banning people of a particular faith or creed, race or identity, sexuality or ethnicity, from entering the U.S. is antithetical to both Lyft's and our nation's core values. We stand firmly against these actions, and will not be silent on issues that threaten the values of our community.

We know this directly impacts many of our community members, their families and friends. We stand with you, and are donating $1,000,000 over the next four years to the ACLU to defend our constitution. We ask that you continue to be there for each other – and together, continue proving the power of community.

John & Logan

Lyft Co-Founders

Elon Musk, Founder, Tesla and SpaceX: I'll talk to Trump

Musk expressed worry about the order. And as a member of Trump's newly formed Strategic and Policy forum, Musk crowdsourced suggestions to fix the order on Twitter, offering to bring those suggestions to Trump.

Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks: “We will neither stand by, or be silent.”

In an open letter on the company's website, Schultz detailed the company's stance against the ban. In addition to voicing support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and its commitment to providing healthcare to its employees, Schultz said that he and his team were working on a plan that hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks has a presence, beginning with refugees who have served as interpreters and personnel with the U.S. Armed Forces.

Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon: We shouldn't weaken what makes the U.S. strong.

In an internal memo, Amazon VP of human resources Beth Galetti wrote of the company's stance, "From the very beginning, Amazon has been committed to equal rights, tolerance and diversity -- and we always will be." The letter, which was shared with The Verge, laid out that the company's initial focus was to help its employees understand how the order could impact them.

On Monday, the state of Washington is issuing a lawsuit to fight the executive order in federal court. Attorney General Bob Ferguson said that Washington-based Amazon and Expedia will support the legal action.

Jeff Bezos released a personal statement as well, writing "We're a nation of immigrants whose diverse backgrounds, ideas, and points of view have helped us build and invent as a nation for over 240 years. No nation is better at harnessing the energies and talents of immigrants. It's a distinctive competitive advantage for our country—one we should not weaken."

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google: We will voice our beliefs.

Google has started a $2 million crisis fund, and it has pledged that it will match up to $2 million in employee donations to the American Civil Liberties Union. Immigrant Legal Resource Center, International Rescue Committee and UNHCR -- The UN Refugee Agency.

In an internal memo, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who was born in India, wrote: "We've always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so." Over the weekend, Google co-founder and Alphabet president Sergey Brin participated in the protest held at San Francisco International Airport. Brin came to the United States after fleeing the Soviet Union in 1979.

Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs: “This is not a policy we support.”

In a voicemail sent to his employees, Blankfein expressed his opposition to the ban. "The president has issued an executive order that, generally, bans individuals from seven different countries from entering the United States and freezes the broader refugee program. This is not a policy we support, and I would note that it has already been challenged in federal court, and some of the order has been enjoined at least temporarily."

President Trump has selected a number of former Goldman Sachs employees for key positions in his cabinet.

Bill Ford Jr., Ford's executive chairman, and Mark Fields, Ford's CEO: This is not in line with our values.

Ford and Fields issued a joint statement against the ban, saying, "We do not support this policy or any other that goes against our values as a company."

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft: Immigration has a positive impact on business and the world.

In a post on LinkedIn, Nadella wrote, "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."

Nadella included the internal memo sent by Microsoft President Brad Smith, who wrote of the company's stance on the issue: "We believe that immigration laws can and should protect the public without sacrificing people's freedom of expression or religion. And we believe in the importance of protecting legitimate and law-abiding refugees whose very lives may be at stake in immigration proceedings."

Aaron Levie, CEO of Box: “This executive order takes our country in the wrong direction.”

Levie took to Medium to express his opposition to the immigration and travel ban, and to say that Box could not have been built without help from minds all over the world.

"On basically any level -- moral, economic, or logical -- this is the wrong thing to do and is antithetical to America's principles," he wrote. "Turning our back on people from countries dealing with major humanitarian crises is against our values, and targeting groups largely based on religion is dangerous and disastrous policy."

Marc Benioff, founder and CEO of Salesforce: Don’t forget who we are.

Benioff has tweeted out several calls to end the ban, quoting both scripture and Emma Lazarus, whose words are inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.

Drew Houston, founder and CEO of Dropbox: This is un-American.

Houston also shared his statement against the ban on Twitter, noting that Dropbox supports and embraces people of every background.

Chad Dickerson, CEO of Etsy: “We are a nation of immigrants.”

The Etsy CEO opposed the ban with a statement on Twitter.

Chris Sacca, venture capital investor: The order is “destructive, inhumane and betray our nation’s proud history.”

The investor and guest judge on Shark Tank said that he would match up to $75,000 in donations to the ACLU, and donated $150,000. He also called the order "grossly un-American."

Sam Altman, president of Y Combinator: “This is a breach of America's contract with all the immigrants in the nation.”

Altman leads Y Combinator, the incubator where companies such as AirBnB, Reddit and Instacart got their start. In a blog post, Altman urged those in the tech community to take a public stance against the actions of the administration.

"The tech community is powerful. Large tech companies in particular have enormous power and are held in high regard. We need to hear from the CEOs clearly and unequivocally. Although there is some business risk in doing so, there is strength in numbers -- if everyone does it early this coming week, we will all make each other stronger."

Hiroshi Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten: “Now I am really crying.”

Mikitani leads Rakuten, an ecommerce company that has been called Japan's Amazon. The company also owns Viber, a popular messaging app, and it has launched free calling between the United States and the seven countries that are affected. Mikitani posted several tweets, describing his admiration for the U.S. when he arrived in the country when he was 7 years old.

The Entertainment Software Association: The government should proceed with caution.

In a statement over the weekend, the interest group that represents the gaming industry issued a statement about the ban: "The Entertainment Software Association urges the White House to exercise caution with regard to vital immigration and foreign worker programs. As a leading force in technology and exporter of entertainment, the U.S. video game industry thrives on the contributions of innovators and storytellers from around the world. While recognizing that enhancing national security and protecting our country's citizens are critical goals, our companies rely on the skilled talent of U.S. citizens, foreign nationals, and immigrants alike. Our nation's actions and words should support their participation in the American economy."

Chris Beard, CEO of Mozilla Corporation: This hurts global health, safety and potential for innovation.

Beard, who was born in Canada, condemned the ban in a blog post on the Mozilla site, writing, "By slamming the door on talented immigrants -- including those already legally in the United States and those seeking to enter -- the ban will create a barrier to innovation, economic development and global impact. Immigrants bring world class skills and expertise to build advanced technology that can improve the lives of people everywhere. The ban will have an unnecessary negative impact to the health and safety of those affected and their families, not to mention rejecting refugees fleeing persecution, terror and war."

Stewart Butterfield, co-founder and CEO of Slack: This will not strengthen us.

Butterfield also registered his opposition on Twitter.

Micha Kaufman, co-founder and CEO of Fiverr: “Today I'm not proud.”

"I'm usually proud of this beautiful country for being one of the world's most diverse democracies. It's full of people who recognize the value and importance of freedom. Freedom to say what you want, write what you want and pray however you damn well choose," wrote the Israeli-born Kaufman, who leads a company with a presence in 190 countries.

"Detaining refugees because of the country they're fleeing or the religion they practice doesn't sound like the policy of a free country, and it certainly doesn't benefit the United States. Today I'm not proud, and I urge the White House to undo this mistake."

Bastian Lehmann, co-founder and CEO of Postmates: “I no longer believe it to be reasonable to remain silent.”

In a post on Medium, Lehmann talked about how Postmates was built by immigrants, as he was born in Germany and the company's first employee was born in Myanmar. In response to the ban, Postmates will be matching employee donations made to the ACLU and the International Refugee Assistance Project.

"In exchange for the guise of safety rooted in fear of those with different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds we will be abandoning the diverse melting pot of culture and ideas that has made the United States prosper," wrote Lehmann. "That is the bedrock that creative growing companies like Postmates have been built upon. Ignoring the dynamics of this diversity, which is distinctly American and has set our country apart from the rest the world throughout history is short sighted and damaging."

Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn: Everyone should have access to opportunity.

Weiner shared a statement on Twitter highlighting the diversity of people and backgrounds behind some of the country's thriving companies.

And in a post on LinkedIn, the company laid out its plan to partner with the International Rescue Committee to offer training and financial resources to the IRC staff to help newly arrived refugees find jobs.

Daniel Ramot, co-founder and CEO of Via: We pledge to “speak out in defense of our values.”

In an email to users on Monday, Ramot wrote that the ridesharing platform will provide free legal counseling to drivers and riders who are impacted by the ban and are starting a fund to aid any legal expenses taken on by the company's driving partners. Ramot, who was born in Israel, employs people from 17 countries.

Diane Gherson, IBM's senior vice president of human resources: Concern for employees and families.

In a memo released to Fortune, Gherson wrote that the company's first action is to help any employees who are affected by the order. "As IBMers, we have learned, through era after era, that the path forward -- for innovation, for prosperity, and for civil society -- is the path of engagement and openness to the world. Our company will continue to work and advocate for this."

Mark Parker, CEO of Nike: “Nike stands together against bigotry.”

In an internal memo, Parker wrote, "Regardless of whether or how you worship, where you come from or who you love, everyone's individual experience is what makes us strong as a whole. … This is a policy we don't support."

Mark Cuban, Investor, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and Landmark Theatres: This will not alleviate fears

Cuban has been critical of the ban on Twitter, characterizing the order as harmful to both businesses and private citizens.

Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola Co.: We are committed to inclusion.

Kent, a first generation American and the son of Turkish immigrants, said in a statement: "Coca-Cola Co. is resolute in its commitment to diversity, fairness and inclusion, and we do not support this travel ban or any policy that is contrary to our core values and beliefs. As a U.S. company that has operations in more than 200 countries and territories, we respect people from all backgrounds and greatly value the diversity of our global system's more than 700,000 associates."

James Murdoch, CEO of 21st Century Fox CEO, and Lachlan Murdoch, 21st Century Fox non-executive chairman: We value diversity.

The sons of media mogul and Trump supporter Rupert Murdoch, who oversee the parent company of Fox News, sent a statement to their employees. They did not oppose the ban. They wrote, "21CF is a global company, proudly headquartered in the U.S., founded by -- and comprising at all levels of the business -- immigrants. We deeply value diversity and believe immigration is an essential part of America's strength. Moreover, as a company that is driven by creativity and innovation, we recognize the unique perspective offered by our many people who came to the U.S. in search of the opportunity for unfettered self-expression."

More than 400 New York tech leaders: All immigrants are welcome here.

More than 400 New York tech and business leaders who belong to the non-profit organization Tech:NYC -- including Indiegogo co-founder and president Slava Rubin, AOL CEO Tim Armstrong, Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO Dave Gilboa, littleBits founder and CEO Ayah Bdeir and Birchbox co-founder and CEO Katia Beauchamp -- signed an open letter to the president opposing the ban.

"In addition to all of the humanitarian reasons to welcome refugees, it is dangerous to discourage immigration when the facts show that immigrant entrepreneurs play a significant role in the American economy. Immigrants are more than twice as likely to start a business as the native-born population. Immigrant entrepreneurs started, in whole or in part, some of the most important technology companies of our time including LinkedIn, Tesla Motors, Zipcar, Google, Intel, Yahoo!, eBay, and WhatsApp," wrote the business leaders.

"More than half of the companies on the current list of U.S. technology startups valued at $1 billion or more were started by immigrants. We should be doing everything in our power to attract these entrepreneurs to the United States. Yet when we close the door to immigrants from certain countries, not to mention to refugees, we are telling all immigrants that they are not welcome here."

Ted Price, founder and CEO of Insomniac Games: We will always be a nation of immigrants.

Price and his team released a video voicing their opposition to the ban. "There's no question these orders will harm us as a company and many of our team members. So we ask. Is this the American way? Is discriminating based on religious faith or national origin American? Absolutely not. This is a deplorable, discriminatory act that we and many others across the nation believe is patently unconstitutional. We have been, we are, and will always be a nation of immigrants. If you agree with us, please do something about it."

Chris O’Neill, CEO of Evernote: “Ideas have no borders.”

O'Neill described himself in his Medium post responding to the ban as "a Canadian immigrant to the U.S., leading a company started by a Russian immigrant." He described the process of renewing his Green Card and studying to become a dual citizen.

He wrote of his and Evernote's stance on the action: "This order is diametrically opposed to my understanding of what America stands for: freedom, optimism and opportunity. Evernote was founded on the notion of 'remembering everything.' Let us never forget what makes this country a beacon of hope for the world. We can do better, and must stand up to unjust, cruel and likely unconstitutional acts like this executive order."

Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit: We welcome all citizens of the world.

In a post on Reddit, Ohanian wrote about his own background as "the son of an undocumented immigrant from Germany and the great grandson of refugees who fled the Armenian Genocide," and recalled the memory of his German mother's citizenship ceremony.

"My forebears were brave refugees who found a home in this country. I've always been proud to live in a country that said yes to these shell-shocked immigrants from a strange land, that created a path for a woman who wanted only to work hard and start a family here," wrote Ohanian.

"Without them, there's no me, and there's no Reddit. We are Americans. Let's not forget that we've thrived as a nation because we've been a beacon for the courageous -- the tired, the poor, the tempest-tossed. … Our platform, like our country, thrives the more people and communities we have within it. Reddit, Inc. will continue to welcome all citizens of the world to our digital community and our office."

John Quattrone, SVP of global human resources at General Motors: GM will provide affected employees with support.

Quattrone's memo to employees did not say that GM was against the ban, but did emphasize the company's respect for diversity.

"At General Motors, we value and respect individual differences. We appreciate what each individual brings to the team, including background, education, gender, race, ethnicity, working and thinking styles, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religious background, age, generation, disability, cultural expertise and technical skill," wrote Quattrone. "Empowering these unique perspectives keeps GM on the cutting edge of technological innovation in the fast-paced automotive industry."

GM CEO Mary Barra, who is a part of President Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum, has not issued a statement about the ban.

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Expedia: This makes us smaller.

The Seattle-based travel company is, with Amazon and Microsoft, supporting the state of Washington's lawsuit against the federal government. Khosrowshahi, whose family emigrated to the United States from Iran in 1978, sent a memo to his employees.

"I believe that with this executive order, our president has reverted to the short game. The U.S. may be an ever so slightly less dangerous as a place to live, but it will certainly be seen as a smaller nation, one that is inward-looking vs. forward thinking, reactionary vs. visionary," wrote Khosrowshahi

"We, as a company, however, will continue to play the long game. We will do our part to bring travelers from all over the world together to learn about the other, the new and unknown, the uncomfortable. We will look to hire a talent pool and leadership which is truly balanced and global and inclusive."

Jerry Stritzke, CEO of REI: We will not discriminate.

In a letter to his employees, Stritzke wrote that the outdoor apparel company does not support the ban. "We know our employee base and our membership span the political spectrum on any given issue. And we embrace respectful dialogue and debate. But it's important to me to be incredibly clear about the following -- we are an organization, and a country, built on inclusion. We believe we are better when we come together, when we are open and when we are welcoming."

Josh Reeves, CEO and co-founder of Gusto: “We are creating more problems than solving them.”

Reeves wrote in a statement emailed to Entrepreneur: "America is a nation of immigrants, and it is this trait that makes America strong. We have diverse viewpoints, welcome people with different perspectives, and stand by our values of freedom and equal rights. I am shocked and appalled by the sweeping actions recently taken regarding immigration. We are creating more problems than solving them. If you feel compelled to act, one of the best avenues is to support the ACLU and you can donate directly from your paycheck using Gusto Giving. From now until the end of February, we are matching any donations Gusto employees make to the ACLU and on top of that, we're also going to match employee contributions across the Gusto platform. We hope you'll join us in standing up for equal rights. What makes America great is the ability for people to express what they believe in and support the causes they care about. We are a nation of immigrants and I truly believe that America is at its best when we stay true to our values of freedom and equal opportunity."

Hamdi Ulukaya, CEO of Chobani: America is a symbol of diversity.

In an email to employees, Ulukaya, who was born in Turkey, wrote: "This is very personal to me. As an immigrant who came to this country looking for opportunity, it's very difficult to think about and imagine what millions of people around the world must be feeling right now. America has always been a symbol of hope, tolerance and diversity -- and these are values we must work very hard to uphold."

Sheryl Sandberg, COO at Facebook and founder of Lean In: “This is not how it should be in America.”

Sandberg spoke out against the ban on Facebook and shared her family history, describing her great-great-grandmother's journey to the United States from Lithuania in the 1889.

"The Executive Orders issued over the past week defy the heart and values that define the best of our nation. Families have been separated. Frightened children have been detained in airports without their parents. People seeking refuge have been turned away and sent back to the danger they just managed to flee. This is not how it should be in America."

Linda Lacina

Entrepreneur Staff

Linda Lacina is the former managing editor at Entrepreneur.com. Her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Smart Money, Dow Jones MarketWatch and Family Circle. Email her at llacina@entrepreneur.com. Follow her at @lindalacina on Twitter. 

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