Apple joins 96 other companies in filing legal brief to oppose immigration order

Apple and 96 other companies have joined together to file an amicus brief opposing President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, Bloomberg reports. The companies filed the brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Sunday night, accelerating their timeline after legal challenges began to mount over the weekend, according to sources familiar with the process. “Immigrants make many of the Nation’s greatest discoveries, and create some of the country’s most innovative and iconic companies,” the brief reads.
In an interview last week, Tim Cook said he was in contact with senior White House officials about the order and claimed Apple was considering its legal options. It’s unclear whether the amicus brief is the end of Apple’s legal work against the order, but Cook said the company’s legal, human resources and security staff are working to mitigate the damage already done to existing employees. Several large tech companies, including Microsoft and Alphabet, are reportedly planning to release an open letter to Trump offering help in fixing the immigration order. “We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets today’s security needs and keeps our country safe,” said a draft of that letter received by Bloomberg. “We are concerned, however, that your recent Executive Order will affect many visa holders who work hard here in the United States and contribute to our country’s success.”