Apple CEO Tim Cook Pledges Support to Employees Affected by DACA in New Letter

[MacRumors]

Apple CEO Tim Cook this morning sent out an email to employees following the announcement that United States President Donald Trump will phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program over the course of the next six months. Trump has called on Congress to replace DACA with new legislation by March 5, 2018.

In the email, Cook says Apple will work with members of Congress to advocate for a legislative solution that will continue to protect the children of immigrants, and he says Apple is working with impacted Apple employees to provide support, including access to immigration experts.

Team,

America promises all its people the opportunity to achieve their dreams through hard work and perseverance. At Apple, we've dedicated ourselves to creating products that empower those dreams. And at our best, we aspire to be part of the promise that defines America.

Earlier today, the Justice Department announced that President Trump will cancel the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in six months if Congress does not act to make the program permanent.

I am deeply dismayed that 800,000 Americans -- including more than 250 of our Apple coworkers -- may soon find themselves cast out of the only country they've ever called home.

DACA recognizes that people who arrived in the United States as children should not be punished for being here illegally. It lets these Americans, who have successfully completed rigorous background investigations, go to school, earn a living, support their families, pay taxes and work toward achieving their dreams like the rest of us. They are called Dreamers, and regardless of where they were born, they deserve our respect as equals.

I've received several notes over the weekend from Dreamers within Apple. Some told me they came to the U.S. as young as two years old, while others recounted they don't even remember a time they were not in this country.

Dreamers who work at Apple may have been born in Canada or Mexico, Kenya or Mongolia, but America is the only home they've ever known. They grew up in our cities and towns, and hold degrees from colleges across the country. They now work for Apple in 28 states.

They help customers in our retail stores. They engineer the products people love and they're building Apple's future as part of our R&D teams. They contribute to our company, our economy and our communities just as much as you and I do. Their dreams are our dreams.

I want to assure you that Apple will work with members of Congress from both parties to advocate for a legislative solution that provides permanent protections for all the Dreamers in our country.

We are also working closely with each of our co-workers to provide them and their families the support they need, including the advice of immigration experts.

On behalf of the hundreds of employees at Apple whose futures are at stake; on behalf of their colleagues and on behalf of the millions more across America who believe, as we do, in the power of dreams, we issue an urgent plea for our leaders in Washington to protect the Dreamers so their futures can never be put at risk in this way again.

Despite this setback for our nation, I'm confident that American values will prevail and we will continue our tradition of welcoming immigrants from all nations. I'll do whatever I can to assure this outcome.

Tim

Over the weekend, Cook tweeted that Apple employs 250 "dreamers," aka people who came to the United States at a young age when their undocumented parents immigrated to the country. "I stand with them," said Cook in the tweet. "They deserve our respect as equals and a solution rooted in American values."

Cook and 300 other business leaders also signed an open letter last week urging President Trump to preserve the program or to pass the bipartisan DREAM act or other legislation for a more permanent solution, but it went unheeded.

With DACA suspended, the government will not accept new applications from undocumented immigrants to defer deportation and offer work permits.

While the current 800,000 DACA enrollees are not expected to be immediately impacted and can renew their two-year permits until October 5, if a new solution isn't offered by Congress, people who grew up in the United States and have lived in the country since childhood could face deportation to countries that are essentially foreign to them.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple CEO Tim Cook Pledges Support to Employees Affected by DACA in New Letter

 

[theheadguy]

I am no real fan of Cook, when it comes to the direction of Apple's products or the speed of innovation, but this is an excellent letter. Credit is owed where credit is due. Excellent job, Mr. Cook. Now please ensure that your actions live up to your words.

 

[Glockworkorange]

"America promises all its people"

"Dreamers" are not American.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

oh boy, the comments in this thread are going to be a firestorm. I don't think there's any perfect solution to this problem. Although it's probably unlikely maybe congress can have a good debate and flesh out some ideas on how to address the issue rationally.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

Keep fighting the good fight, Tim

 

[Eorlas]

good for him. if these people are working, paying their taxes, and obeying the law, what is the problem?

"but they're illegal!" their parents may have been, but they (the kids) were brought here or born here without any choice. now we've let them live here and develop skills, and contribute to our society and people want to send them away?

why would you punish someone for a crime they did not commit? absolutely no one on earth appreciates being at fault for something they did not do.

EDIT: also, my imagination tells me that we have already spent tax money on them, for example by putting them through public school. now we're going to piss away those skills and give that away to somewhere else?

 

[lowendlinux]

I hope those affected thank the boss for going to bat for them even if he/they lose.

 

[Kaibelf]

"America promises all its people"

"Dreamers" are not American.

Unless you are descended from a Native American tribe, you really aren't either. And I'd prefer any of these dreamers to any of the native-born dregs we have here who seem to be more into opioids, white supremacy, and militias than contributing to this nation.

 

[TheTruth101]

Apple could get them work visas within this 6 months.

 

[2010mini]

"America promises all its people"

"Dreamers" are not American.

Actually they are. America is the entire Northern Central and Southern continent.

 

[budselectjr]

"protect the children of immigrants"

Those were not immigrants! They were illegal aliens! What don't people get about this?

 

[Aluminum213]

President Trump wants to stop illegal immigrants from taking American jobs, oh the humanity!!!

 

[Glockworkorange]

Unless you are descended from a Native American tribe, you really aren't either. And I'd prefer any of these dreamers to any of the native-born dregs we have here who seem to be more into opioids, white supremacy, and militias than contributing to this nation.

Are we really going to the native Americans? I guess that nobody is a citizen of anywhere since somebody at some time was displaced by somebody else.

And besides, I'm talking about US citizenship today, which has zero to do with Native Americans and things that happened in the 1800's.

I know you know this.

Also, you can just go ahead and say "white trash." I think that is what you meant to say. No need to be shy---the condescension and sneering was dripping from your comment.

 

[Aluminum213]

Apple could get them work visas within this 6 months.

Exactly, Apple could solve their problems instantly, but will they?

 

[lostngone]

Silly question here, other than a time issue why can't these people apply for citizenship or why haven't they already started the process(maybe they have?)?

Isn't that a deferment program, meaning they would have had to have done it even IF the program wasn't cut?

 

[polterbyte]

The two attitudes I see in this situation boil down to:

a. I'm covered, so goodbye and good luck to you.
b. Who am I to close the door just because I got in?

Tim's post reflects b. Indifference reflects a.

 

[Glockworkorange]

Actually they are. America is the entire Northern Central and Southern continent.

As in "US Citizen." I assume you know this.

 

[Mansu944]

Actually they are. America is the entire Northern Central and Southern continent.

OMG, great point...you are so smart. (Even though I know you know what they meant)

 

[cmwade77]

Here is my issue with all of this, my understanding of Obama's executive order was that the program was to give these people time to become LEGAL immigrants/citizens and they could renew IF they could demonstrate that they have acted in good faith to do so and legal status had not yet been granted. Additionally if they can show that they are acting in good faith to become legal, then that is one thing and they should be accommodated, but if they have done nothing to work towards this, then they should be facing deportation.

And no this isn't a race issue, it is a nationality issue, this affects people that came here illegally from ALL countries, it doesn't matter if it is Canada, anywhere in Europe, China, Mexico, South America, etc.

The bottom line is we do have immigration laws and the people affected by this program did get stuck in a bad position due to poor choice by their parents and yes moving to a country illegally is a poor choice, but the parents did know the risks to themselves and to their children when they did it. Is this fair to these children? No, but whoever said life is fair?

That being said, if they are striving to become legal, productive citizen or immigrants, then again, let them stay under this program, but if they haven't even tried to do anything, then I'm sorry, but you aren't acting in good faith.

It all comes down to what they are doing now to become legal.

 

[kidtronix]

good for him. if these people are working, paying their taxes, and obeying the law, what is the problem?

They are not white. No need to beat around the bush here. I'm an immigrant, at a time illegally, but I am white and no one in America have ever cared that I came here or shown hostility towards me.

 

[Zxxv]

I wonder if I sneak into an Apple Store or onto the new Apple Campus and start working if Tim will protect me and my right to be there working? What about if I sneak a child in with me. Will he kick me out but allow the child to stay working?

 

[itsmilo]

next on the chopping block: citizenship by birth, I am shocked it hasnt even been brought up yet or is this one of those things protected by the holy and untouchable constitution?

 

[jdillings]

Silly question here, other than a time issue why can't these people apply for citizenship or why haven't they already started the process(maybe they have?)?

Isn't that a deferment program, meaning they would have to done that even IF the program wasn't cut?

Because they are hoping for amnesty and getting citizenship without doing what legal immigrants had to do gain citizenship.

 

[78Bandit]

Continued, willful ignorance of the illegal immigrants is not the answer. It is time for Congress to pass meaningful immigration reform that includes early identification of people who are in the country illegally and ensuring they are brought into compliance or deported in a reasonable period of time. Some allowance may need to be made for those that have slipped through the cracks for many years, but future enforcement simply must be structured to keep the situation from festering as long as it has in the past.

While I'm certainly no supporter of the "Papers please" oversight of the government like people faced in East Germany in the '50s - '80s, it is not unreasonable to expect parents of children to provide proof of legal residency before receiving public benefits including health care and education. With today's information systems it should be quite easy to ensure everyone is in compliance with immigration laws and track down those that should have left after overstaying a tourist visa.

The blame for any child "who grew up in the United States and have lived in the country since childhood could face deportation to countries that are essentially foreign to them" falls squarely on the parents. I feel bad for those kids, but if we simply grant citizenship based on their lack of knowledge of the illegal actions of their parents it will do nothing but encourage that continued behavior. We have to make the consequences serious enough to act as a discouragement for other contemplating the same actions.

 

[cmwade77]

They are not white. No need to beat around the bush here. I'm an immigrant, at a time illegally, but I am white and no one in America have ever cared that I came here or shown hostility towards me.

I'll be blunt, if you were here illegally, you should have been deported, but again it sounds like you took the steps necessary to become legal and that is where I take issue with this program is many of these people aren't even attempting to become legal.