© Stephen Yang / Reuters
The ridesharing app Lyft announced early Sunday morning that it will donate $1 million to the ACLU over the next four years following a controversy surrounding its rival Uber's decision to undercut a New York Taxi Drivers Alliance ban on pickups from JFK airport in response to President Trump's refugee ban. “Banning people of a particular faith or creed, race or identity, sexuality or ethnicity, from entering the U.S. is antithetical to both Lyft's and our nation's core values,” Lyft co-founders John Zimmer and Logan Green wrote in a letter to customers. "We stand firmly against these actions, and will not be silent on issues that threaten the values of our community.”
On Saturday, after Uber suspended its surge pricing on rides to and from JFK airport, the hashtag #DeleteUber began to trend on Twitter as users accused the company of trying to break the taxi strike. In response, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick posted a note on Facebook that offered support for the company's drivers but also defended his decision to join President Trump’s economic advisory group. "I understand that many people internally and externally may not agree with that decision, and that’s OK," Kalanick wrote. "It's the magic of living in America that people are free to disagree."