American coffeehouse chain Starbucks has promised to hire 10,000 refugees over five years in response to President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily barring refugees' access to the United States and banning entry for anyone from seven majority Muslim countries.

Starbucks' chief executive Howard Schultz said that he had 'deep concern' about the President's order and would be taking 'resolute' action, starting with offering jobs to refugees, reports the Guardian.

'We are developing plans to hire 10,000 of them over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business,' he told employees in a strongly-worded note.

He added that the move was to make clear that the company 'will neither stand by, nor stand silent, as the uncertainty around the new administration's actions grows with each passing day'.

Schultz said the initial focus would be in the US and for refugees who had served as interpreters for the US military, but it is not yet clear when the five-year period would begin, or whether people would be employed direct by Starbucks or by suppliers.

Technology firms were prominent among US businesses voicing concern at the executive order.

Earlier, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that as an immigrant himself, he would 'continue to advocate' on the issue.

On Sunday, the Google co-founder and Alphabet president, Sergey Brin, was photographed among people protesting at San Francisco airport over the immigration measures. -- ANI