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Massachusetts Joins Federal Case Challenging President’s Ban on Immigration

Mackenzie LeBert

Massachusetts Joins Federal Case
Challenging President’s Ban on Immigration

MassTLC Calls on Tech Leaders to Stand with AG
in Support of MA Innovation Economy

MassTLC stood today with Attorney General Maura Healey as she announced that her office will be representing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in litigation challenging the President’s January 27 Executive Order (“EO”), which barred entry into the United States by individuals from seven majority-Muslim countries (Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen).

MassTLC Trustee Mohamad Ali, CEO of Carbonite, spoke eloquently at the press briefing:

On behalf of MassTLC, the tech community, and myself as CEO of Carbonite, we believe this executive order is detrimental to our state and our country. It is morally and ethically beneath our American values. America is a nation of compassion and we do not turn our backs on those in need, and seeking refuge. This immigration order is also damaging to businesses and innovation efforts, economic growth, and job creation. Some of our greatest companies are or were led by 1st or 2nd generation immigrants and those with diverse backgrounds – Steve Jobs of Apple had a Syrian father named Abdulfattah Jandali; Andy Grove was a refugee from Communist Hungary. His birth name was Andras Istvan Grof. He created Intel; and Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo. She was born in Chennai, India; these leaders created millions of American jobs, including manufacturing jobs. Further, the immigration order could serve to make our country less safe, a point both Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham made a few days ago, by playing right into the rhetoric of those who are bent on harming us. And finally, it is just simply a violation of that revered document we as Americans, and citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, hold dear – the constitution. No one is above the constitution. It is on this basis that we stand firmly with our Attorney General.

We know that many companies in Massachusetts are currently assessing the impact of the Executive Order and making contingency plans. MassTLC is working with the AG’s Office to help develop a robust record in this litigation. Most immediately, the AG’s Office will be seeking a preliminary injunction from the court, halting the implementation of the order while the case proceeds.

HOW YOU CAN HELP – We are calling on affected tech leaders to support this effort by preparing a declaration describing the impacts of the EO on your company by COB Thursday, February 2nd.

We ask that your statement be as specific as possible and include as much of the following information as possible:

Number of employees who are lawful permanent residents or who have other work authorizations and are from the Affected Countries
Number of employees who may be unable to extend their current work authorization
Specific steps you are already taking to ensure no disruption of operations, should these employees lose work authorization
Conferences, business meetings, or other plans in foreign countries that may need to be altered due to the EO
Any lost revenues or additional expenses incurred or that may be incurred as a result of the EO
Examples of employees or others affiliated with your business/organization who have been unable to enter the country since January 27
Recruitment efforts impacted by the EO – e.g., faculty, trainees, and students
Any information on how this EO, and the resulting apparent instability in U.S. immigration policy, harms institutional strategic planning in developing international business and international sources for talent
Any other effects of the EO on your operations, finances, services, and human resources

Please submit your final declarations by COB Thursday, February 2nd to Jonathan Miller in the AG’s office at Jonathan.Miller@state.ma.us with a cc to me at MassTLC (tom@masstlc.org). We’d like to include affected companies in subsequent tech sector support initiatives that we have under way.

If you have questions or need any assistance completing your declaration, please contact Jonathan at Jonathan.Miller@state.ma.us or 617-963-2073.

Thank you,