Liberal lawmakers, celebrities and airport protesters aren't the only ones pushing back against President Trump's executive order on immigration, which bans travelers from seven nations in the Middle East and Africa. Democratic governors pledged to help free detainees being held in U.S. airports, federal judges tried to limit the EO's power in court, while protesters stormed airports like JFK international airport, where several foreign detainees were being held.
Starbucks is joining the resistance. In a letter to his employees on Sunday, the coffee company's CEO Howard Schultz shared a list of commitments he plans to fulfill in the near future. All of them, you'll notice, were a critique on President Trump's policies. In his message, Schultz said he hopes to "support" men and women under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, "stand ready to help and support our Mexican customers, and partners" and protect employees' health care plans under the Affordable Care Act.
His most controversial note, however, came under his future hiring plans.
Hiring Refugees: We have a long history of hiring young people looking for opportunities and a pathway to a new life around the world. This is why we are doubling down on this commitment by working with our equity market employees as well as joint venture and licensed market partners in a concerted effort to welcome and seek opportunities for those fleeing war, violence, persecution and discrimination. There are more than 65 million citizens of the world recognized as refugees by the United Nations, and we are developing plans to hire 10,000 of them over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business. And we will start this effort here in the U.S. by making the initial focus of our hiring efforts on those individuals who have served with U.S. troops as interpreters and support personnel in the various countries where our military has asked for such support.
Pro-Trump supporters on Twitter, angry that the coffee company dared to take sides in the political debate, pledged to #BoycottStarbucks.
Trump and his White House staff have come to the defense of Friday's executive action, reminding Americans that it is a temporary ban and that the list of banned countries on the EO originated in the Obama administration.
Where was the outrage then, they wonder?
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