Apple has allegedly started removing apps originating in Iran from the App Store. According to Techrasa, Apple removed the app of Digikala, the biggest Iranian e-commerce service, a few days ago. Apple has yet to comment on the procedure but it seems to stem from international trade laws (via TechCrunch).
Appel CEO Tim Cook has issued a company-wide message regarding U.S. President Trump’s executive order, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” which President Trump implemented over the weekend.
The following is a copy of a memo he sent to Apple employees:
Team,
In my conversations with officials here in Washington this week, I’ve made it clear that Apple believes deeply in the importance of immigration — both to our company and to our nation’s future. Apple would not exist without immigration, let alone thrive and innovate the way we do.
I’ve heard from many of you who are deeply concerned about the executive order issued yesterday restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. I share your concerns. It is not a policy we support.
There are employees at Apple who are directly affected by yesterday’s immigration order. Our HR, Legal and Security teams are in contact with them, and Apple will do everything we can to support them. We’re providing resources on AppleWeb for anyone with questions or concerns about immigration policies. And we have reached out to the White House to explain the negative effect on our coworkers and our company.
As I’ve said many times, diversity makes our team stronger. And if there’s one thing I know about the people at Apple, it’s the depth of our empathy and support for one another. It’s as important now as it’s ever been, and it will not weaken one bit. I know I can count on all of you to make sure everyone at Apple feels welcome, respected and valued.
Apple is open. Open to everyone, no matter where they come from, which language they speak, who they love or how they worship. Our employees represent the finest talent in the world, and our team hails from every corner of the globe.
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, ‘We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now.’
Tim
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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvkh5udzKds&w=640&h=360]
“American technology companies for years have relied on a steady stream of skilled engineers from overseas to help them create their products,” Nick Wingfield and Mike Isaac report for The New York Times. “Now many of those companies and their workers are girding for expected changes to immigration policy under President Trump that the companies say could hurt their ability to tap the technical talent they need to stay competitive.”
“The technology industry relies heavily on the H-1B visa program, through which highly skilled workers like software engineers are permitted to work in the United States for companies like Microsoft, Google and Intel,” Wingfield and Isaac report. “The draft proposed a regulation to ‘restore the integrity of employment-based nonimmigrant worker programs’ and to consider options for modifying the H-1B program to ‘ensure that beneficiaries of the program are the best and the brightest.'”
“That language rattled some executives and lawyers representing technology companies because of its implication of sweeping changes,” Wingfield and Isaac report. “‘You’d be shocked at the number of people who are feeling fear, calling our firm alarmed based on what’s coming out,’ said Priya Alagiri, an immigration lawyer based in the Bay Area who has tech clients. ‘It’s not just the undocumented. Even people who are here on green cards, legally. Citizens. They’re scared.'”
