University Response to New Immigration Policies
By Christopher Motola
On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order that prohibited immigration and visa entry from seven nations: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, for a 90 day period. In addition, the order places a 120 day freeze on refugee acceptance into the United States, as well as an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria. This action was met with controversy and protests around the country, including large demonstrations at John F. Kennedy, Dulles International, and Los Angeles International Airports.
In a statement to the student body, Catholic University of America President ,John Garvey, published a statement in reaction to the executive order: “At this time we cannot know with certainty how recent executive orders will affect people seeking education, refuge, and citizenship in our country, nor do we know yet how they might affect our University community over the long term,” Garvey said. President Garvey went on to discuss how the executive order would impact students and faculty at the University, saying that “we are reaching out to our students and visiting scholars who are directly affected by the measures to assure them of our support and our commitment to help them navigate this uncertain period. We will continue to communicate with them directly through the Center for Global Education as more information is made available to us.”
President Garvey also stated that he hopes the Trump administration will seek a path to “promote the common good of our citizens, including our national security, without departing from our nation’s great tradition of welcoming persons of good will who seek to make a better life here.”
This story is still developing. The Tower will continue to provide updates and thorough coverage as we learn more about the impact of President Trump’s executive order on the Catholic University community.
