Ford has been in a tough spot since President Trump took office. The company was the primary auto industry target during his campaign, with the real estate mogul criticizing the Detroit automaker for sending US jobs to Mexico. Now that he's in the White House, Ford seems willing to work with Trump on certain issues, like when it announced the cancellation of a plant under construction in Mexico, yet won't cow to all his directives. Automotive News (AN) reports the automaker is speaking out against the recent executive order on immigration.

Ford CEO Mark Fields reportedly sent a video message to employees where he stated the company's position on the immigration ban, which affects seven predominantly Muslim countries. AN received a copy of the video transcript, which said in part: "What I want everyone to know is that ... core to our company's values ... is respect for all people. And that's why we do not and will not support any policies that are counter to our values." When pressed to comment on the leaked video transcript, the automaker released a statement authored by executive chairman Bill Ford. "Respect for all people is a core value of Ford Motor Company, and we are proud of the rich diversity of our company here at home and around the world," it began.

"That is why we do not support this policy or any other that goes against our values as a company. We are not aware, to date, of any Ford employees directly affected by this policy. We will continue working to ensure the well-being of our employees by promoting the values of respect and inclusion in the workplace." As of this writing, January 30th, neither GM nor FCA have issued a statement on the new immigration policy. Of the Big Three, Ford has the most to lose by speaking out given how it has been targeted by Trump in the past. It remains to be seen if The Donald will respond to Ford's criticism. If a response is made it will most likely come from his favorite mode of communication, Twitter.