The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the 90-day ban on travel to the US from seven countries (Iran, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Libya).
Expedia Inc. has filed a declaration supporting Washington state's lawsuit against Donald Trump and his executive order on immigration.
The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the 90-day ban on travel to the US from seven countries (Iran, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Libya).
The declaration was filed earlier this week by Robert Dzielak, Expedia's executive vice president, general counsel and secretary.
Expedia's headquarters are in Bellevue, Washington,
"Expedia believes that the executive order jeopardises its corporate mission and could have a detrimental impact on its business and employees, as well as the broader US and global travel and tourism industry," the declaration states.
According to the declaration, Expedia estimated it has at least 1,000 customers with passports issued by one of the countries affected by the executive order.
Expedia said it is assisting those customers with alternative travel arrangements, and is in the process of contacting them now. The company said the legwork, and the continued monitoring of the situation, is incurring business costs that continue to increase.
Additionally, the declaration said the executive order "has restrained Expedia employees' ability to travel freely, for professional or personal purposes”.
Following the order's issuance, Expedia advised employees from the impacted companies to avoid travel for the time being, and told employees from the seven countries travelling outside the US to immediately contact immigration counsel. The company is, at its expense, providing legal counsel and immigration services to its employees.
According to the declaration, there are at least two employees working in Bellevue who would be affected if they left the country, and "a number" of employees who work outside the US that would be unable to travel to the company's US offices without risk.
The executive order, Expedia contends, "imposes restraints on Expedia's ability to efficiently operate its business”, and also affects the company's ability to recruit around the world.
An Expedia spokesperson declined to comment on pending litigation, but did provide a statement from CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, whose family emigrated to the US from Iran when he was a child. "Ours is a nation of immigrants. They are at our roots; they are our soul. The president jeopardised that with the stroke of a pen.
“Expedia Inc. will do everything we can to protect and help our employees and travellers. That's our job. Hopefully our government can do its job thoughtfully and with respect for our immigrant past."
Source: Travel Weekly USA