BUSINESS/IMMIGRATION/NATIONAL SECURITY/TRAVEL BAN: “Early Monday, two former secretaries of state — John F. Kerry and Madeline Albright — joined a six-page joint statement saying Trump’s [travel ban] order ‘undermines’ national security and will ‘endanger U.S. troops in the field.’ The rare declaration, addressed to the 9th Circuit, was also backed by top former national security officials including Leon Panetta, who served as a past CIA director and defense secretary during the Obama administration.
Hours earlier, a host of technology giants — including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Twitter, Uber — were part of a ‘friend of the court’ legal brief by 97 companies opposing the Trump administration’s immigration order.
The brief claimed the order was a ‘significant departure’ from U.S. immigration policies and ‘makes it more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to recruit, hire, and retain some of the world’s best employees.’ “
– Matt Zapotosky, Robert Barnes and Brian Murphy, “Former top diplomats, tech giants blast immigration order as court showdown looms,” The Washington Post online, Feb. 6, 2017