Google said on Wednesday it would pay for the application
fees of about 500 young immigrants seeking employment under the Deferred Action
for Childhood Arrivals program.
It comes as Google and other big U.S. employers transition
from four years of criticizing outgoing President Donald Trump for restricting
immigration policy and undermining the companies' ability to hire foreign-born
workers.
Biden said last week that he would propose unspecified
immigration legislation to Congress "immediately" upon taking office
on Jan. 20. Biden's Democratic Party will control Congress, boosting the chance
his ideas become law.
"We will support efforts by the new Congress and
incoming Administration to pass comprehensive immigration reform that improves
employment-based visa programs that enhance American competitiveness, gives
greater assurance to immigrant workers and employers, and promotes better and
more humane immigration processing and border security practices," said
Google senior vice president Kent Walker in a blog post.
Walker added Google's philanthropic arm would donate
$250,000 to the organization United We Dream, which helps immigrants unlawfully
living in the United States after arriving as children secure work permits and
avoid deportation using the deferred action program, or DACA.
A court ruling expected soon threatens to pause renewals and
applications for those permits, Walker said. Recipients are often called
"Dreamers."
Google has in the past teamed with fellow large technology
companies when making statements on immigration policy. But only one other tech
company spoke out on the issue this week.
Uber Technologies Inc told Reuters it continued to support
"Dreamers" and welcomed "the new Administration's effort to
reform our nation's immigration system."