Read the memo Uber sent its employees about using its legal team to help separated families on the Mexico border

uber ceo dara khosrowshahi

Uber is the latest tech company to forcefully condemn the Trump administration's immigration policies.
The company says it is exploring how its legal team can assist migrant families who are affected.
It also donated $100,000 to a non-profit group supporting migrant children.

Uber is exploring how its legal team can assist migrant families affected by President Trump's hardline immigration policies, and has donated $100,000 to a non-profit supporting migrant children, according to an internal company memo.

The memo, provided to Business Insider by a company spokesperson, condemns the Trump administration's policy of separating migrant families as "unfathomable to imagine and heartbreaking to see."

Written by Uber deputy general counsel Tammy Albarrán and SVP of communications and policy Jill Hazelbaker, it says Uber is "better and stronger because we are made up of and serve people from all over the world."

On providing legal aid to affected families, they wrote: "Our Legal team is also reaching out to law firms with a strong commitment to pro bono work to explore immediate opportunities for Uber Legal to partner with them to help parents and children affected by these policies in any way we can."

Uber joins a growing list of tech companies and high-profile industry figures who have spoken out against Trump's immigration policies, which have sparked widespread outrage in recent days following reports of migrant children being detained in cages without their parents.

And it comes as Uber attempts to resuscitate its public image following months of ugly scandals around everything from sexism to evading local governments, culminating in the ousting of founder and then-CEO Travis Kalanick.

As a father, a citizen and an immigrant myself, the stories coming from our border break my heart. Families are the backbone of society. A policy that pulls them apart rather than building them up is immoral and just plain wrong. #KeepFamiliesTogether https://t.co/g2Cu40zvcX
— dara khosrowshahi (@dkhos) June 19, 2018

Kalanick's replacement, Dara Khosrowshahi, condemned the Trump policy publicly on Twitter on Tuesday. He wrote: "As a father, a citizen and an immigrant myself, the stories coming from our border break my heart. Families are the backbone of society. A policy that pulls them apart rather than building them up is immoral and just plain wrong. #KeepFamiliesTogether"

Also on Tuesday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg called on Facebook users to donate to non-profits providing assistance to migrants, and Apple CEO Tim Cook called the measures "inhumane."

Here's the full Uber memo:

Team -

As you heard us discuss at the All Hands today, we are horrified by what is happening at the southern border, where more than 2,000 children have been separated from their families. It’s unfathomable to imagine and heartbreaking to see, and we want you to know what we are doing as a company and what you can do as an individual.

We continue to directly advocate for necessary changes to our nation’s broken immigration system, which includes seeking permanent status for DREAMers, protections to other visa categories, and opposition to country of origin travel bans. The Policy team is working closely with partners including FWD.US, The National Immigration Forum, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and asking legislators and regulators to put an end to this crisis. Our Legal team is also reaching out to law firms with a strong commitment to pro bono work to explore immediate opportunities for Uber Legal to partner with them to help parents and children affected by these policies in any way we can. We are also taking a stand as a company—Uber committed $100,000 to KIND today.

Many of you are asking what you can do personally. Here are are a few options:

If you’re a US citizen, call your Representative and Senators;
Tweet using the hashtag #KeepFamiliesTogether (Dara shared his view on Twitter today if you want to retweet); and
Donate to KIND, RAICES, or the American Civil Liberties Union.

Uber is better and stronger because we are made up of and serve people from all over the world. We strongly support immigration policies that help people and families who want to build a better life, achieve their dreams, or seek protection from dangerous governments and situations.

Thanks to everyone for all you’re doing to call attention to this issue.

-Jill and Tammy

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