Week ahead: Tech mobilizes on DACA | House panel looks at Uber economy

Silicon Valley is making a last-minute effort to press the White House to save the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program with a decision expected early next week.

The program, established under executive action by President Barack Obama, protects almost 800,000 people who were brought into the U.S. illegally as children from deportation.  

President Trump is expected to make a decision on whether or not to eliminate the program in days, and faces a Sept. 5 deadline from conservative states that have threatened to challenge DACA in court.

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When reports said a decision was imminent, some of tech’s biggest companies voiced their support for the program.

“Changes [to DACA] would not only negatively impact thousands of hardworking people across the United States, but will be a step backwards for our entire nation,” Microsoft’s Chief Legal Office Brad Smith wrote Thursday in a blog post.

“There is no question in my mind that a priority must be to create more jobs and opportunity for every American citizen,” added Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in his own post supporting DACA. “On top of this, smart immigration can help our economic growth and global competitiveness.”

Uber said that DACA recipients’ “contributions make America more competitive and they deserve the opportunity to work, study, and pursue the American dream.”

Late Thursday night, 300 business leaders also urged Trump to leave DACA untouched

in an open letter organized by Fwd.us an immigration advocacy group founded by tech leaders.

“Dreamers are vital to the future of our companies and our economy,” they wrote using the common term for DACA recipients. “With them, we grow and create jobs. They are part of why we will continue to have a global competitive advantage,”

Signatories included Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Lawmakers return to Washington Tuesday after their month-long August recess with a number of tech issues on their docket.

While the biggest challenge for Congress will be passing a government spending bill and raising the debt ceiling by the end of the month, lawmakers are also eager to weigh in on some key tech concerns.

On Wednesday, the House Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a hearing on the “sharing economy,” at 10:00 a.m. likely focusing on apps including Uber and Airbnb.

On Thursday, The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on the broadcast spectrum incentive auction at 10:00 a.m. Technology companies like Microsoft have taken an increasing interest in getting their hands on new spectrum, raising concerns among traditional broadcasters.

Also on Thursday, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee will hold a hearing at 10:00 a.m. on private sector exploration of the moon.

Elon Musk’s company SpaceX has indicated interest in missions to circumnavigate the moon. And Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin has even more ambitious plans for the moon, involving a potential city and even robots.

Later Thursday at 2:00 p.m., the House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on the “challenges of recruiting and retaining a cybersecurity workforce.”

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