Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has outright condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to abolish DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), a policy started by former President Barack Obama. Under DACA, children brought to the U.S. illegally (also referred to as Dreamers) are not sent back if they meet certain requirements.
Not good for the nation
Nadella stated that as a child, the “ingenuity of American technology” inspired him, and later he came to the United States to grow with his dream thanks to the welcoming immigration policies that were in place at the time.
“Smart immigration can help our economic growth and global competitiveness,” he said.
Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith shares similar views, saying, “Changes would not only negatively impact thousands of hardworking people across the United States, but will be a step backwards for our entire nation.”
In a blog post, Smith noted that this would be a huge setback for people who are voluntarily registered with the federal government and will have to face deportation now. He further added that revoking the program will also have a negative impact on the United States, causing a loss of $460.3 billion to the nation’s GDP over the next decade.
Smith noted that at Microsoft, there are 27 employees who have benefited from DACA. These employees hold different positions, such as software engineer, finance professional, and retail associate. Under the DACA program, about 800,000 immigrants are registered with the federal government, notes CNET.
On Thursday, the White House announced that Trump had not made a final decision yet. According to White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, the program is still under review, and the final decision on DACA will be released when it is made. According to Fox News, Trump might repeal the Dreamers program on Friday.
Voices for and against Dreamers
Conservative attorneys warned that they might take action against the Trump administration if the president does not start dismantling the program by September 5, notes CNET. One senior administration official told Reuters that the situation in the White House over the Dreamers program is more or less like a “tug of war.” Some officials believe that the DACA program is unconstitutional and want Congress to bring a legislative solution to the Dreamers.
On the other hand, Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill and a few Republicans have asked Trump not to go ahead with the plan to dismantle it.
In a tweet, U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican who is Cuban-American, said “@POTUS must uphold pledge 2 treat #DREAMers with “great heart” + give these young folks certainty 2 stay in US, the only country they know.”
Top executives from other tech companies, such as Apple, Facebook, and Google, also expressed their concerns about Trump’s upcoming decision. In a joint letter, executives stated that all DACA recipients have grown up in America, registered with the government, had an extensive background check and are contributing to society and paying taxes.
Many of Trump’s policies and decisions have not gone down well with Silicon Valley visionaries and corporate CEOs. Recently, Trump’s soft stance on the handling of the white nationalist Charlottesville protests was also criticized by the corporate community.
