Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is not happy with US President Donald Trump's latest decision to temporarily suspend foreign work visas, including H-1B, which is widely used by Indian IT professionals. Expressing disappointment, Sundar Pichai said that he will continue to stand with immigrants and work to expand opportunity for all.

Sundar Pichai
Google CEO Sundar Pichai is not happy with US President Donald Trump's latest decision to freeze H-1B visas.KIMIHIRO HOSHINO/AFP/GettyImages

Taking to Twitter, the Google CEO wrote, "Immigration has contributed immensely to America's economic success, making it a global leader in tech, and also Google the company it is today. Disappointed by today's proclamation - we'll continue to stand with immigrants and work to expand opportunity for all."

Meanwhile, issuing a statement, Vanita Gupta, the President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, slammed Trump's latest move. "The latest travel ban is a new season of the same racist, xenophobic show put on by Donald Trump and Stephen Miller," Vanita Gupta wrote.

Trump suspends H-1B, other work visas

Trump on Monday signed an order to restrict immigration into the United States on visas for temporary foreign workers, a move the White House claimed would help the Covid-battered economy.

H-1B visa, visa
Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order directing federal agencies to recommend changes to a temporary visa program used to bring foreign workers to the United States to fill high-skilled jobs in Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S., April 18, 2017.Reuters | Representational

The presidential proclamation issued by Trump temporarily blocks foreign workers entering on H-1B visas for skilled employees, and L visas, for managers and specialised workers being transferred within a firm.

The US President's latest move, which business groups strongly oppose, will affect hundreds of thousands of people seeking to work in America. The technology industry also stated that the move would hurt the economy.

(With agency inputs)