# Google creates $2 million fund for immigrant causes and invites staff to match fund it

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/01/30/google-creates-2m-fund-for-immigrant-causes-and-invites-staff-to-match-fund-it/
- Published: 2017-01-30T23:21:40+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Technology company Google has announced to staff that it is creating a $2 million
crisis fund for immigrant and refugee causes. It could be worth $4m as the company
is inviting its employees to match it.**

The fund has been created amid concern among and some criticism by major US technology
and other companies at the Trump administration’s ban on refugees and on entry into
the US by citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries.

The new fund was announced to staff on Sunday in a message from chief executive 
Sundar Pichai, who has himself criticised the President’s executive order. In another
message to staff, he said:

## Advertisement

> “We’re upset about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose
> restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that could create barriers to 
> bringing great talent to the US.”

> For generations, this country has been home to immigrants like Sanaz. Her story
> is playing out all over the country. Google is with you. [https://t.co/mllnZ5gNDB](https://t.co/mllnZ5gNDB)
> — Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) [January 29, 2017](https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/825569430507622402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

Google announced that donations from its new fund would be divided between the American
Civil Liberties Union, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, International Rescue Committee
and UNHCR.

 

> This is Google's largest crisis campaign ever. [https://t.co/AU2EOZCdb7](https://t.co/AU2EOZCdb7)
> — USA TODAY (@USATODAY) [January 30, 2017](https://twitter.com/USATODAY/status/825935339520946178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

## Fred Korematsu

The search engine company’s disapproval President Trump’s policy on refugees and
citizens of certain countries was underlined by its Google Doodle today, on its 
US site. It featured Fred Toyosaburo Korematsu, civil rights activist and survivor
of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. January 30th, 2017 
would have been his 98th birthday.

In 1998 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s most distinguished
civilian award. He is [famous for saying](http://www.korematsuinstitute.org/news/2016/1/20/the-korematsu-case-and-what-it-means-to-us-today):

> “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

Google has done just that.

> "If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don't be afraid to speak up."–
> Fred Korematsu [#GoogleDoodle](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoogleDoodle?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> [https://t.co/sUgieswYuS](https://t.co/sUgieswYuS) [pic.twitter.com/XxoYHCWQlv](https://t.co/XxoYHCWQlv)
> — Google (@Google) [January 30, 2017](https://twitter.com/Google/status/826120432323555329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

To emphasise the point even further, Google reports that the [doodle was created by artist Sophie Diao](https://www.google.com/doodles/fred-korematsus-98th-birthday),“
herself a child of Asian immigrants”.

 

 * **See also [Trump’s ban on refugees prompts fundraising and giving campaigns](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/01/30/trumps-ban-refugees-prompts-fundraising-giving-campaigns/)**

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