Facebook, Twitter, Uber, Lyft Defend DACA In Open Letter To Trump

Dreamers and immigration reform activists mobilized this week amid reports that President Trump will rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA).

In an open letter to Trump, leaders at major tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, Uber and Lyft expressed solidarity with Dreamers and DACA, which has allowed nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants to avoid deportation and apply for work authorization.

The open letter is being circulated by FWD.us, an organization co-founded by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg that works to mobilize tech companies in support of immigration reform. The letter has been signed Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Uber CTO Thuan Pham and Lyft co-founders John Zimmer and Logan Green.

“As entrepreneurs and business leaders, we are concerned about new developments in immigration policy that threaten the future of young undocumented immigrants brought to America as children,” the letter reads.

“All DACA recipients grew up in America, registered with our government, submitted to extensive background checks, and are diligently giving back to our communities and paying income taxes,” the letter continues. 

The tech leaders also urged Trump to preserve DACA for the sake of the economy. The Center of American Progress estimates that ending the program would cost the U.S. $433.4 billion in GDP.

“Dreamers are vital to the future of our companies and our economy,” the letter states. “With them, we grow and create jobs. They are part of why we will continue to have a global competitive advantage.”

In addition to preserving DACA, the letter asks Congress to pass a bipartisan DREAM Act. You can view the full letter and the more than 300 signatories here. 

Zuckerberg not only signed the letter but posted a message in solidarity with Dreamers on Facebook. 

“Dreamers have a special love for this country because they can’t take living here for granted,” he said. “They understand all the opportunities they have and want nothing more than the chance to serve their country and their community. And Dreamers deserve that chance.”