The global employment picture appears to be brightening considerably…for refugees.

OK, that’s a bit of an overstatement, but there is at least one American mega-company that is going to make refugee-hiring a priority in the wake of Donald Trump’s executive order that halts, for the time being, the resettlement of refugees to the U.S., as well as temporarily bars citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries from gaining entry to the United States.

In a move widely reported by a number of media outlets, including The Blaze, the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, announced this past weekend that the coffee chain giant will be hiring 10,000 refugees worldwide over the next five years.

Schultz’s decision was announced in a memo to Starbucks employees.

“We have a long history of hiring young people looking for opportunities and a pathway to a new life around the world,” he wrote. “This is why we are doubling down on this commitment by working with our equity market employees as well as joint venture and licensed market partners in a concerted effort to welcome and seek opportunities for those fleeing war, violence, persecution and discrimination.”

Schultz also took the opportunity to mention other positions the company will be assuming that appear to conflict with the agenda of the new administration. Among those is a commitment by Starbucks to invest in Mexico at a time America’s new president is seeking to build a wall along the U.S. southern border, as well as impose trade tariffs on Mexican goods.

“We will continue to invest in this critically important market,” Schultz said. “We stand ready to help and support our Mexican customers, partners and their families as they navigate what impact proposed trade sanctions, immigration restrictions and taxes might have on their business and their trust of Americans.” 

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large