Apple CEO Tim Cook on Thursday promised his employees to lobby the U.S. government on immigration, reports Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
Cook’s comments came during an “all-hands” meeting with employees. Cook said he is “deeply distraught” with the U.S. government’s current approach to immigration, and he promised to make his voice heard on the matter, says Gurman.
“For as long as I can remember, we have been a smarter, wiser, more innovative company because we’ve attracted the best and brightest from all corners of the world,” Cook told employees, according to the report. Cook promised that he would “continue to lobby lawmakers on this issue” going forward, per the report.
Cook said immigration is is an important issue to Apple, as the company has “team members across the U.S. on some form of visa,” the report said.
Cook also repeated his support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy.
Cook last week responded to the two fatal ICE shootings that took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota in January.
Cook said he was “heartbroken by the events in Minneapolis,” following the shootings of two individuals by U.S. federal immigration agents there. The killings resulting in mass outrage by activists and others.
“This is a time for deescalation,” said Cook, in the memo. “I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they’re from, and when we embrace our shared humanity. This is something Apple has always advocated for.”
