Google CEO Pichai Orders Employees With Green Cards And H-1B Visas Back To The US After Trump’s Immigration Order
President Donald Trump’s executive order regarding immigration may affect more than one hundred Google employees. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has ordered employees who are currently traveling with green cards and H-1B visas to return to the United States immediately.
President Trump signed an executive order Friday that prohibits the entry of citizens from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya for ninety days. During this period, the federal government will attempt to determine what information is needed to safely admit visitors from these countries.
According to the executive order, “Deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States. The United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism.”
The Google employees currently abroad usually work in the United States, however, they were traveling internationally either for business or vacation. The corporation is concerned that even employees with valid visas will be prohibited from re-entering the country. It is unclear whether green card recipients can return, however, it has so far been determined that H-1B visa holders are unable to enter the United States at this time. The H-1B visa allows American companies to temporarily employ graduate-level, non-immigrant workers in specialty occupations.
Pichai stated in his memo, “It’s painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues. We’ve always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so.” Pichai himself is an immigrant. He was born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, but initially came to the United States for graduate school.
Other tech corporations have expressed their concerns over this executive order. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg remarked that he was “concerned” by President Trump’s insistence upon restricting immigration. Microsoft recently warned investors that the limited immigration, “may inhibit our ability to adequately staff our research and development efforts”.
The executive order is currently unavailable on WhiteHouse.gov, but you can read the full text here.
President Trump signed an executive order Friday that prohibits the entry of citizens from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya for ninety days. During this period, the federal government will attempt to determine what information is needed to safely admit visitors from these countries.
According to the executive order, “Deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States. The United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism.”
Image from: Maurizlo Pesce via Wikimedia Commons
The Google employees currently abroad usually work in the United States, however, they were traveling internationally either for business or vacation. The corporation is concerned that even employees with valid visas will be prohibited from re-entering the country. It is unclear whether green card recipients can return, however, it has so far been determined that H-1B visa holders are unable to enter the United States at this time. The H-1B visa allows American companies to temporarily employ graduate-level, non-immigrant workers in specialty occupations.
Pichai stated in his memo, “It’s painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues. We’ve always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so.” Pichai himself is an immigrant. He was born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, but initially came to the United States for graduate school.
Other tech corporations have expressed their concerns over this executive order. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg remarked that he was “concerned” by President Trump’s insistence upon restricting immigration. Microsoft recently warned investors that the limited immigration, “may inhibit our ability to adequately staff our research and development efforts”.
The executive order is currently unavailable on WhiteHouse.gov, but you can read the full text here.
