Tim Cook told Trump tech employees are ‘nervous’ about immigration

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Apple CEO Tim Cook delivers brief remarks as U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and White House Director of the Office of American Innovation and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner listen during a meeting of the American Technology Council in the State Dining Room of the White House June 19, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Behind the scenes at the White House tech CEO meeting, Apple CEO Tim Cook told President Donald Trump that technology employees are “nervous” about the administration’s approach to immigration, according to a source familiar with the exchange.

The source said the president told the CEOs on Monday that the Senate’s health-care bill needs “more heart.” That would be a second known instance of the president criticizing the GOP bill in private meetings.

To that, the source said, Cook replied that the immigration approach by the administration also “needs more heart.” Cook cited the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which is under review by the Trump administration. He also said people in tech and their co-workers were nervous about their status, and added that it “would be great” if the president could “send them a signal.”

According to the source, Trump replied that he wants to see comprehensive immigration reform and urged the CEOs to call their senators and congressmen to push for it.

The source spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of discussing private conversations.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.