Uber is being condemned and #DeleteUber is trending online due to CEO Travis Kalanick’s relation with the President. But the ride-hailing giant is trying to curb the same by standing against the unjust immigration law set forth by the new government. Kalanick is, thus, forming the $3 million legal defense fund for drivers affected by the said immigration ban.
At Uber we’ve always believed in standing up for what’s right. Today we need your help supporting drivers who may be impacted by the President’s unjust immigration ban.
This move from the company comes on the heels of Lyft co-founders announcing a million dollar donation to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union). Uber couldn’t have stood on the bylines and watched its brand being battered by civilians. Thus, the company has finally decided to do good on its word and offer compensation to the drivers who’re trying to visit home and are stuck at the airports. The official blog post reads,
Drivers who are citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen and live in the US but have left the country, will not be able to return for 90 days. This means they won’t be able to earn money and support their families during this period. So it’s important that as a community that we do everything we can to help these drivers.
Thus, Uber is setting up a 24/7 helpline that’ll connect drivers affected by the said executive order to gain access to lawyers and immigration experts. It will provide immediate legal support to those who’re trying to get back in the country and are stuck at the airports. Kalanick has, however, not once called the immigration law as un-American or completely unjust as others did. It has also not decided to help everybody but only their own drivers affected by the ban.
Since the order prolongs for ninety days, the ride-hailing giant also plans to offer compensation for their lost earnings. It will enable them to support and provide for their families while they’re unable to work and banned from stepping foot in the U.S. There is currently no info on how Uber plans to compensate those affected, but one can submit their details through a Google Docs form.
Further, alongside these measures, Kalanick has already voiced his concern over the immigration executive order. A couple days ago, he had said,
This order has far broader implications as it also affects thousands of drivers who use Uber and come from the listed countries, many of whom take long breaks to go back home to see their extended family
With this initiative, Uber has joined the likes of other tech giants — Google, Facebook, Tesla, among others — who’re also supporting those affected by Trump’s executive order. These companies are trying their best to protect their employees from being affected adversely by the immigration ban implemented by President Trump. There is no likley update on the executive order front and it is likely to be a tough job to reverse the ban for good.
