Clark University, along with 85 higher education institutions and organizations across the country, has signed an amicus brief in AAUP v. Rubio, supporting a motion to enjoin the federal government’s policy of revoking the visas of and arresting, detaining, and deporting noncitizen students and faculty exercising their free speech and association rights. According to the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, the injunction is an essential stop gap pending resolution of a legal challenge filed March 25 by the American Association of University Professors and several of its chapters, as well as the Middle East Studies Association.
The amicus brief underscores the essential role that international students, scholars, and graduates play in our communities, the economy, national security, and global competitiveness. It focuses on three core areas to support the legal challenge and provide critical context on the real-world implications of recent visa enforcement actions targeting international students, scholars, and other noncitizen campus community members:
- The crucial role of international students and scholars in higher education institutions
- The ideological deportation policy that has created a climate of fear across university campuses
- The broader ways in which the ideological deportation policy has and will harm U.S. interests
“International students have long been, and continue to be, important and valued members of our university community,” Clark said in a public statement. “We know this is an unsettling time and our Office of Global Engagement and the International Students and Scholars Office are working closely with our international students to provide support as we maneuver through the unprecedented moves by the federal government. By joining the amicus brief, we have added our voice to the call for restraint by the federal government.”