N.J. Colleges Criticize Trump Travel Ban, Will Protect Immigrant Students

A growing chorus of North Jersey university officials have released public statements blasting President Trump’s recent executive order to halt immigration from several countries in the name of fighting terrorism.

Trump’s executive order bans immigrants from several countries - Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen - from entering the United States for 90 days. The order, which also halted the U.S. refugee program for 120-days, is aimed at stopping “radical Islamic terrorists,” Trump has said.

Protests across the Garden State – and the rest of the nation - have been erupting in the wake of the order, with many activists decrying it as a violation of human rights.

• See related article: North Jersey Protests Trump’s Immigration Ban [VIDEOS, PHOTOS]

In the wake of the protest, several New Jersey universities have issued statements that criticize the ban and promise to protect the rights of their students.

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

Rutgers President Robert Barchi issued the following statement to the campus community on Sunday.

“Rutgers, as a leading international research university, has students, researchers and faculty members who are citizens of the countries on this ‘barred entry’ list,” Barchi wrote. “Some in this group were traveling outside the U.S. when the executive order went into effect. We are working to resolve questions regarding their status.”

“We share the view of many of our peer institutions who have argued strongly that many aspects of the executive order run counter to the academic and social mission of higher education,” he added.

Read the full statement here.

STEVENS INSTITUTE (HOBOKEN)

The president of Hoboken-based Stevens Institute of Technology said that the ban is causing “disruption and anxiety” on campus.

“This executive order presents challenges to values that are central to the academy and to Stevens’ education and research programs, which are built upon inclusiveness and nondiscrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin or any other illegal basis,” Nariman Farvardin said. “The implementation of this executive order could have a negative impact on the conduct of the core mission of Stevens and other universities throughout the U.S.”

• See related article: Stevens Institute President: Trump Ban Is Causing ‘Disruption and Anxiety’ On Campus

SETON HALL

Seton Hall University President Gabriel Esteban said the ban may “adversely affect” members of the campus community.

“America’s generosity in opening our borders to those who yearn for opportunities and freedom from persecution is a long-standing tradition that made the United States a world leader and a beacon of freedom,” Esteban said. “Seton Hall University has historically welcomed and valued the intellectual diversity and vitality brought by our students and scholars from across the globe.”

• See related article: Seton Hall President: Trump Ban May ‘Adversely Affect’ Campus Community

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Montclair State University President Susan Cole said that the college welcomes qualified students “regardless of immigration status,” and, except in circumstances mandated by federal law, the school does not inquire about or keep records of immigration status, nor does the University police department inquire about or record immigration status in the performance of its duties.

“The legality of this order is being challenged in various courts around the country,” Cole pointed out.

• See related article: MSU President: Students Welcome ‘Regardless Of Immigration Status’

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

Princeton University has worked to help a small number of students and scholars who are traveling abroad and are having difficulty returning to America in the wake of Trump’s executive order, University President Christopher Eisgruber wrote in a statement on the university’s website on Sunday.

“The legal implications of the executive order have been evolving rapidly,” Eisgruber stated.

• See related article: Princeton University Helping Students, Staff Impacted By Executive Order

CALDWELL UNIVERSITY

The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) – which includes Caldwell University as a member – released a statement in “strong opposition” to Trump’s order.

Administrators staid that the group “stands in solidarity with other Catholic and higher education organizations that recognize the moral obligation of our country to assist migrants, particularly those who are fleeing any kind of persecution.”

• See related article: Caldwell University Joins Other Catholic Schools, Opposes Trump Ban

Photo: WhiteHouse.gov

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