The news of the week was President Donald Trump's travel ban that prevents U.S. entry to citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries. In the wake of the immigration order, many global companies spoke out against the new policy in an effort to reassure employees.

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Below are responses from several industry giants, including tech leaders, across the globe, as well as some advice on how to navigate these changes in the workplace:

In an email to staff, Apple's CEO Tim Cook expressed his opposition to the ban, stating, "It is not a policy we support," and quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now." Cook noted that the immigration order is having a direct impact on Apple employees, stating, "Our HR, Legal and Security teams are in contact with them, and Apple will do everything we can to support them."

Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos sent employees a memo that expressed the company's opposition to the ban and offered "full support" to people affected by it. Amazon's human resources department emailed employees last weekend to request that they avoid traveling internationally if the new restrictions might prevent them from re-entering the country. Amazon – which reportedly has 49 employees born in countries affected by the travel ban – has also joined a lawsuit against the ban.

In an open letter to staff, Starbucks' CEO Howard Schultz announced that the coffee company not only condemns the president's order, but has plans to hire 10,000 people who are recognized by the United Nations as refugees. Schultz assured employees of Starbucks' commitment to address the order, noting that the company would "neither stand by, nor stand silent, as the uncertainty around the new Administration's actions grows with each passing day."

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Google ordered its employees overseas to return home immediately, while CEO Sundar Pichai wrote to employees: "It's painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues. We've always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so."

CEO Bill McDermott of SAP SE , the largest tech company in Europe, sent employees a letter of reassurance that emphasized the company's nondiscrimination policies. In the letter, McDermott wrote, "To all our nervous families wondering about your place in the world, we are always in your corner."

A memo sent to JPMorgan staff from the company's operating committee stated that the Wall Street bank had "worked to reach out to all JPMorgan Chase employees on sponsored visas who are potentially impacted by the recent orders." The memo emphasized the company's "unwavering commitment" to its employees, including "a number of our outstanding employees – all of whom have adhered to our country's immigration and employment processes – who have come to the United States to serve our company, clients and communities." Business Insider reported that the company also set up a hotline for employees who could be affected by the travel ban.

No matter where you work and whether your employer's leadership team made a specific announcement about their corporate response to the new immigration policy, there are steps you can take to begin to navigate these evolving changes in the workplace:

Know who's affected by the ban. Global companies across diverse industries may be affected by the new immigration policy. Though the policy has generated some confusion, it has affected the ability of people – including company employees with valid visas – from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen to enter the U.S. This means some of your global colleagues may be impacted personally even if you aren't.

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Plan travel accordingly. If you're being sent on an international business trip, be aware of the new immigration policy, and be sure to plan global travel accordingly. While lawsuits like the one filed by Amazon mentioned above are in progress, it will take time to see what evolves, and there has already been much confusion about where green card holders, those with visas and dual citizens stand under the new policy. Human resources can provide more information about your company's travel policies and how they may be affected by the travel ban.

Discuss issues or concerns with your boss or HR. If you're uncertain how the Trump administration's new policy might affect you or your work group, request additional information from your supervisor or your human resources team. While the situation is still unfolding, HR should be able to provide the best guidance internally on what the travel ban means for employees and the proper procedures to follow for those affected.

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