Ninety-seven companies, from Apple Inc. to Zynga Inc., filed animpassioned legal brief condemning President Donald Trump'sexecutive order on immigration, stepping up the industry's growingopposition to the policy.

The amicus brief was filed late Sunday in the Ninth CircuitCourt of Appeals and emphasizes the importance of immigrants in theeconomy and society. The companies originally planned to file thebrief later this coming week, but accelerated efforts over theweekend after other legal challenges to the order, according topeople familiar with the matter.

The participating technology companies include Airbnb Inc.,Facebook Inc., Google, Intel Corp., Netflix Inc., Snap Inc. andUber Technologies Inc. Companies beyond technology signed on aswell, including Levi Strauss & Co. and yogurt maker ChobaniLLC.

“Immigrants make many of the Nation's greatest discoveries, andcreate some of the country's most innovative and iconic companies,”the brief states. “America has long recognized the importance ofprotecting ourselves against those who would do us harm. But it hasdone so while maintaining our fundamental commitment to welcomingimmigrants—through increased background checks and other controlson people seeking to enter our country.”

Late Friday, a U.S. District judge temporarily lifted the Trumpadministration's ban, freeing refugees and visa holders fromseven Muslim-majority countries to enter the U.S. An appealscourt declined to immediately reinstate the immigrationrestrictions over the weekend.

The technology industry has been among the most vocal inopposition to Trump's immigration policies.

Bloomberg News reported earlier that several large techcompanies, including Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc., areplanning to sign an open letter to President Trump expressingconcern about the immigration order and offering help fixing it andother policies.

“We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration systemmeets today's security needs and keeps our country safe,” said adraft of that letter obtained by Bloomberg News. “We are concerned,however, that your recent Executive Order will affect many visaholders who work hard here in the United States and contribute toour country's success.”

Uber Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick stepped down fromPresident Trump's business advisory council last week aftercriticism from customers and drivers. His participation in thecouncil, along with more than a dozen other U.S. executives,prompted blowback on social media after the controversial executiveorder on immigration. It snowballed into a #DeleteUber campaignthat benefited rival Lyft.

“Immigration and openness to refugees is an important part ofour country's success and quite honestly to Uber's,” Kalanick wrotein an email to employees obtained by Bloomberg. “There are manyways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigrationbut staying on the council was going to get in the way of that. Theexecutive order is hurting many people in communities all acrossAmerica.”

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