The software company says Trump's executive order barring entry into the U.S. for citizens of seven countries is "a fundamental step backwards," and imperils U.S. values and reputation abroad.
Microsoft on Sunday criticized President Trump’s order forbidding citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S., calling the move “misguided and a fundamental step backwards.”
Trump on Friday signed an executive order suspending entry for all refugees for 120 days, and setting a 90-day ban on entry into the U.S. for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The order sparked widespread protests at airports nationwide, and some elements of the policy were blocked Saturday evening by federal court rulings. The U.S. Department of Homeland security on Sunday evening appeared to exempt permanent U.S. residents, or green card holders, from the ban, saying their entry was “in the national interest”
Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella and company president Brad Smith had initially responded to the executive order on Saturday in the form of a post on LinkedIn and an email to company employees.
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Smith offered legal aid to the Microsoft workers who could be affected by the ban, voiced support for a “strong and balanced” immigration system, and broadly, defended immigration. He stopped short of directly criticizing the order.
That changed on Sunday.
“We believe the executive order is misguided and a fundamental step backwards,” the company said in a statement relayed by a spokesman Sunday afternoon. “There are more effective ways to protect public safety without creating so much collateral damage to the country’s reputation and values.”