In what’s sure to be interpreted as another shot at the Trump administration, Starbucks is offering legal advice free of charge to any baristas affected by the president’s travel ban. The chain said in a memo sent Monday that it’s created a “Global Mobility and Immigration team,” staffed by professionals at Ernst & Young, to help employees and their families “navigate immigration issues and get answers in these uncertain times.” CEO Howard Schultz took an early, vocal stand against the ban last week when he announced Starbucks would respond by hiring 10,000 refugees over the next five years — guns he’s stuck to even as Trump supporters have (erroneously) used that initiative to question his concern for jobless veterans, and vowed to boycott.
“If you are a partner or a family member and you have questions about immigration, travel restrictions, or how the Executive Order and any related actions may otherwise impact you,” the letter to employees reads, “please access this legal support and guidance from the Global Mobility and Immigration team.” A federal judge in Seattle put a temporary restraining order on the ban last Friday, and his ruling is being appealed by an enraged Trump administration, shrouding the whole mess in even more legal confusion. Starbucks tells CNNMoney it’s started reaching out individually to employees who hold visas from the seven countries on the ban list, and has set up a special email address where workers can direct any questions and concerns.
