Tech

Microsoft to Trump: You're going to have to go through us to deport Dreamers who work here

Key Points
  • Microsoft says it will stick by its employees affected by any change to DACA, even in court.
  • Microsoft said any move to replace DACA needs to be a priority for Congress.
Microsoft to Trump: You're going to have to go through us to deport Dreamers who work here
VIDEO1:0401:04
Microsoft to Trump: You're going to have to go through us to deport Dreamers who work here

Microsoft responded strongly to the Trump administration's decision on Tuesday to move toward rescinding or replacing DACA within six months.

"There is nothing that we will be pushing on more strongly for congress to act on," Microsoft president and chief legal officer Brad Smith said in an interview with NPR. "We put a stake in the ground. We care about a tax reform bill," Smith said, noting that the entire business community cares about one but that this needs to be settled first.

Smith added that it won't be easy for the government to deport Microsoft employees who are DREAMers: "[The government's] going to have to go through us to get that person," Smith said.

Microsoft is the latest tech company to speak out against the move. Smith made similar comments in a public letter.

Smith and Microsoft call on Congress to "reprioritize the fall legislative calendar and move quickly with the new legislation to protect these 800,000 Dreamers." Congress, which just returned to session on Tuesday after the Labor Day weekend, has a lot to tackle, including tax reform.

"As an employer, we appreciate that Dreamers add to the competitiveness and economic success of our company and the entire nation's business community," Microsoft said. "In short, urgent DACA legislation is both an economic imperative and a humanitarian necessity."

Microsoft said it has 39 DACA recipients among its employees and that it will "exercise its legal rights properly to help protect our employees," even if Congress doesn't come to a decision on new legislation to replace or rescind DACA within six months.

"In short, if Dreamers who are our employees are in court, we will be by their side," Microsoft said.

WATCH: Zuckerberg says it's a 'sad day' as tech execs slam Trump for ending DACA

Zuckerberg says it's a 'sad day' as tech execs slam Trump for ending DACA
VIDEO1:0301:03
Zuckerberg says it's a 'sad day' as tech execs slam Trump for ending DACA