97 Companies File Legal Brief Against Trump Immigration Order

Ninety-seven companies, from Apple to Zynga, filed an impassioned legal brief condemning President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, stepping up the industry’s growing opposition to the policy, according to Bloomberg.

The amicus brief was filed late Sunday in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and emphasizes the importance of immigrants in the economy and society. The companies originally planned to file the brief later this week, but accelerated efforts over the weekend after other legal challenges to the order, according to people familiar with the matter. The participating technology companies include Airbnb, Facebook, Google, Intel, Netflix, Snap and Uber. Companies beyond technology signed on as well.

"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 recognized 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.“

The technology industry has been among the most vocal in opposition to Trump’s immigration policies. Bloomberg News reported that several large tech companies, including Microsoft and Alphabet, are planning to sign an open letter to President Trump expressing concern about the immigration order and offering help fixing it and other policies.