Ford will not support the temporary immigration ban in the USA introduced by President Trump, according to chief executive officer Mark Fields, who said: ‘We do not support this policy or any other that goes against our values as a company.’

Fields confirmed no Ford employees have been directly affected by the ban to date and he added: ‘We are proud of the rich diversity of the company in the USA and around the world.’

The joint statement from Fields and Chairman Bill Ford follows on from two days of intensive discussions between Ford and President Trump’s team in Washington last week. This was to discuss economic issues and Ford’s decision to invest $700 million (Rs 4,421 crore) in its Michigan assembly line rather than creating a new plant in Mexico at a cost of $1.6 billion (Rs 10,107 crore).

A spokesman for Ford in the UK said: ‘Ford’s position on this issue is reflected in many other companies in the USA and around the world. We will continue to work to support the values of respect and inclusion in our business.’

The United Automobile Workers (UAW) union has joined Ford in condemning the ban on passport holders from seven predominantly Muslim countries entering the USA for 90 days.

Dennis Williams, President of the UAW, said: ‘We are a nation of immigrants and our union would not exist of immigrants and non-immigrants alike hadn’t fought in solidarity for the rights we cherish today. The UAW opposes discrimination of any kind and denounces any policy that judges people based on their religion or nation of origin.’

Other large US companies have also condemned the immigration ban. They include Tesla, Facebook and Google. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, said in a tweet: ‘The blanket entry ban on citizens from certain primarily Muslim countries is not the best way to address the country’s challenges.’

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