Business Day

Alphabet takes lead opposing Trump

- Sarah Frier, Alex Webb and Mark Bergen

Google parent Alphabet is organising the funding of the legal brief signed by more than 120 companies that oppose President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigratio­n, according to people familiar with the arrangemen­t.

While Alphabet is co-ordinating with Washington, DC-based law firm Mayer Brown to handle the amicus brief, other companies have offered to fund a share of the costs, the people said. Alphabet plans to accept the offers, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussion­s are private. A representa­tive for the search giant declined to comment.

The tech companies emphasised the economic and social contributi­on made by immigrants in their arguments filed on Sunday in the US Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

The firms support a lawsuit by the states of Washington and Minnesota seeking to stop Trump’s executive order. Apple, Airbnb, Facebook, Microsoft, Tesla. Intel, Lyft, Netflix, Snap. and Uber Technologi­es are among the technology companies that participat­ed. Firms beyond the tech industry that signed on include Levi Strauss and yogurt maker Chobani.

“Immigrants make many of the nation’s greatest discoverie­s and create some of the country’s most innovative and iconic companies,” the brief states. “America has long recognised the importance of protecting ourselves against those who would do us harm. But it has done so while maintainin­g our fundamenta­l commitment to welcoming immigrants through increased background checks and other controls on people seeking to enter our country.”

On Friday, a federal judge temporaril­y blocked the Trump administra­tion from enforcing the ban, allowing refugees and visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries to enter the US. The appellate court in San Francisco was scheduled on Tuesday to hear arguments in the case.

Initially, the companies planned to file the brief later this week, but accelerate­d their efforts at the weekend after other legal challenges to the order. More technology companies joined the brief on Monday, including Adobe Systems, IAC/InterActiv­eCorp and HP.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from South Africa