President Donald Trump’s signed proclamation to halt visas that import foreign workers has enraged Big Tech leaders. Apparently diversity and cheap labor are more important to them than aiding American workers during an unprecedented economic crisis.
Trump took decisive action to ensure job openings in the U.S. go to American workers. “Trump issued a proclamation Monday suspending the issuance of a variety of visas that allow foreigners to work in the US for a limited amount of time,” Business Insider observed. The same article made note that this “affects H-1B, H-2B, H-4, J-1, and L-1 visas,” and was intended “to protect American workers at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has pushed unemployment to its highest level in decades.”
Twitter's vice president of public policy and philanthropy for the Americas Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, according to Business Insider, said that "This proclamation undermines America's greatest economic asset: its diversity.”
Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted a condemnation of the move on June 22:
“Immigration has contributed immensely to America’s economic success, making it a global leader in tech, and also Google the company it is today. Disappointed by today’s proclamation - we’ll continue to stand with immigrants and work to expand opportunity for all.”
Facebook has lamented the fact that there will be less foreign labor imported to the United States, claiming that it could actually be a liability for the economy. A Facebook representative reportedly told NBC News Senior Media Reporter Dylan Byers that “the move to keep highly skilled talent out of the US will make our country's recovery even more difficult." The spokesperson also referred to America as a “nation of immigrants,” ignoring that America was tamed, settled, and fought for by freedom-seeking settlers.
Business Insider made note that the “officials in the Trump administration said the order would reserve 525,000 jobs for American citizens and cited the coronavirus-induced high unemployment rate as one of the reasons for extending the freeze.”
