Minority lawmakers call out Google for hiring former Trump DHS official

The leaders of the House caucuses representing Hispanic, black and Asian Pacific American members are calling on Google chief executive Sundar Pichai to review the hiring of a former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official who allegedly played a part in the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and Congressional Asian and Pacific American Caucus Chairwoman Judy Chu wrote Pachai on Tuesday, asking for clarification on the hiring of former DHS chief of staff Miles Taylor.

“We are deeply troubled with Google’s decision to hire someone from the Trump Administration that has defended the very same cruel DHS policies Google senior leadership has previously denounced,” wrote the lawmakers.

“During his time with DHS, Miles Taylor undoubtedly demonstrated his support for the Trump Administration’s immigration policies. Alongside Kirstjen Nielsen, Mr. Taylor oversaw the implementation of the Muslim Ban, family-separations at our southern border, and the new public charge rule. There is evidence that Miles Taylor called for a more ‘tough’ and ‘tailored’ version of the Muslim Ban,” they added.

Taylor was hired in September as a manager for Google’s public policy team. The company’s officials in October tried to assuage concerns of employees who complained about working with someone who had a hand in the zero tolerance policy, according to a report on BuzzFeed News.

The zero tolerance policy, which enforced strict criminal prosecution of first-time illicit border crossings, led to the separation of more than 2,000 migrant children from their parents or caretakers.

Nielsen, DHS secretary at the time of the policy’s implementation, was a key official in executing, promoting and defending the policy.

According to the BuzzFeed report, Taylor assisted in crafting the agency’s “Protecting Children Narrative,” through which DHS officials argued that the separations were conducted in the best humanitarian interest of the affected minors.

In their letter, the lawmakers referenced instances of opposition to Trump administration immigration actions from Google employees and top executives.

“Your company’s senior leadership has openly denounced Trump’s cruel immigration policies and many of your employees and customers agree with those sentiments.  This recent company hire appears to contradict Google’s own moral and ethical values and completely disregards the concerns expressed by many of your employees and customers that value immigrants and human rights,” they wrote.