Big Tech Leaders like Amazon and Microsoft put pressure on President Trump to save DACA

SEATTLE - President Trump plans to make an announcement on the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program next Tuesday.

DACA protects people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children, by allowing to stay and obtain work permits. The program affects nearly 800,000 so-called “Dreamers.”

Hundreds of major business leaders from companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook signed an open letter to President Trump, asking him to preserve the program.

The letter was signed by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other technology leaders who say "dreamers" are vital to their companies, our economy, and America's global competitive advantage.

Many reports have said the president is leaning toward ending the program. That's worrying a lot of immigrant rights groups and tech workers.

“A lot of these people are working in companies. There's a report that 72 percent of (the top 25) Fortune 500 companies have DACA recipients in their workforce," said Jorge Baron, Executive Director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. "So they are going to lose valuable employees. We're all going to lose potentially valuable community members."

Microsoft President Brad Smith tweeted Thursday: "Microsoft stands with Dreamers who are helping our community, our company, and the American economy thrive."

”Where would they go if they cut off the DACA program or how will their lives be?” asked Harsha Lella who works for Amazon.

“A lot of different people from around the world work at tech companies,” said Karen Albrecht, who works at Amazon.

She’s glad to know that tech leaders and companies are urging the president not to dismantle the DACA program.

“I love that they are standing up to the president and it important that we increase diversity and inclusion in our company,” said Albrecht.

On Friday afternoon, the Washington Technology Industry Association also called on President Trump to keep DACA in place and encouraging Congress to pass the Dream Act.

“The tech industry in our state and across the country stands in solidarity with the Dreamers,” stated Michael Schutzler, the CEO at WTIA. “These young people are an essential part of our country’s future. They are strong students and leaders in our communities.”

President Trump said he'd make his decision, “with a big heart.”