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People are boycotting Starbucks after CEO announces plan to hire thousands of refugees

Kate Taylor
Howard Schultz
Howard Schultz

(Howard Schultz, the chairman, president, and CEO of Starbucks.Tina Fineberg/AP)

Some Starbucks customers are threatening to boycott the coffee giant after its CEO took a stand against President Donald Trump's executive order barring immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the US.

On Sunday, Starbucks announced it planned to hire 10,000 refugees worldwide in the next five years.

"We are living in an unprecedented time, one in which we are witness to the conscience of our country, and the promise of the American Dream, being called into question," CEO Howard Schultz wrote in a letter to Starbucks employees about the plan.

While many customers were immediately supportive of Starbucks' actions on social media, others threatened to boycott after the letter's release.

"Upon hearing about your decision to hire 10000 refugees instead of Americans I will no longer spend any money at Starbucks," one such Facebook user wrote on Starbucks' page.

Many said they were angry that Starbucks was hiring refugees instead of veterans. Starbucks, however, does have a program in place to support veterans and their families, hiring 8,000 veterans and military spouses since 2014.

Starbucks has no plans to end its program to hire veterans.

Other users said the plan to give jobs to refugees would make it harder for Americans to get jobs. The 10,000 hires will be spread out over the 75 countries where the company does business.

Some felt that Schultz was needlessly political in his plan to hire refugees.

Schultz has long been vocal regarding his progressive beliefs as CEO of Starbucks. He endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton for president in September, and he would have reportedly been Clinton's pick for secretary of labor had she won the election.

The movement to boycott Starbucks has already inspired a counter-protest — #BuyStarbucks, with supporters including actress Jessica Chastain.

This is not the first time there has been an online movement to boycott Starbucks.

In November, Twitter user Baked Alaska encouraged followers to visit a Starbucks location and tell the employees that their names are Trump in an effort to "normalize Trump" and the white-supremacist alt-right movement. When Starbucks introduced a green cup intended to promote unity in the week leading up to the election, social-media users accused the coffee chain of ""political brainwashing."

Despite the protests, Schultz seems unlikely to back down from his political stances.

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In Sunday's letter, the CEO also expressed his support for immigrants who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, as well as Mexican employees and customers. The letter restated Starbucks' policy that workers who are eligible for benefits would have the option to access health insurance through the company, whether or not the Affordable Care Act is repealed.

"I also want to take this opportunity to announce specific actions we are taking to reinforce our belief in our partners around the world and to ensure you are clear that we will neither stand by, nor stand silent, as the uncertainty around the new Administration's actions grows with each passing day," Schultz wrote.

NOW WATCH: 'This is not about religion': Trump defends his immigration ban as thousands protest around the US

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