Amazon and Microsoft join US President Trump lawsuit
Tech companies Microsoft and Amazon are cooperating in a lawsuit by the Attorney General of the state of Washington against President Trump’s American immigration ban from seven countries. That lawsuit must test whether the immigration ban is in violation of the constitution.
Microsoft will provide the attorney general with information and will testify in the case if necessary, a spokesperson told Reuters news agency. Amazon has released a statement online pledging its cooperation in the lawsuit. According to the attorney general of the state of Washington, who filed the indictment, travel site Expedia is also involved.
The tech companies are cooperating because their employees are affected by the decree of President Donald Trump of the United States. Under that decree, residents of seven countries with a majority Muslim population are no longer allowed to enter the United States. The immigration ban will last four months and, according to Trump, will prevent terrorists from entering the country.
Many tech companies worldwide have employees who come from one of those seven countries and because of the decree they can no longer come to American branches. At Amazon, 49 employees are directly involved, including a British lawyer of Libyan origin who was due to come to the US next month. The companies also fear that Trump will extend the rules to more countries. In addition, the companies believe that the decree goes against the equality of people and the United States now unfairly discriminates on the basis of religion.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson wants to demonstrate that the decree violates the United States Constitution. Microsoft and Amazon can join the case, because both companies are headquartered in Washington state. Many tech companies have already condemned the decree for the same reasons in recent days. Trump would also soon come up with a new decree that could affect tech companies. Under that unconfirmed order, US companies must first attempt to fill a vacancy with a US employee before hiring someone from another country.