“We are extremely disappointed by the Supreme Court's decision to
uphold the Trump administration's travel ban. In the current climate of
harsh rhetoric on immigration, the travel ban contributes to the
perception that this country is no longer a welcoming place for study
and research by the world’s best and brightest international scholars
and students.
As the amicus brief ACE submitted along with 32 other higher
education associations noted, the travel ban puts at risk the network of
learning, research, and education that makes American higher education
the envy of the world. Many of our international students have gone on
to invent groundbreaking technologies, start thriving businesses, and
assume leadership roles in governments and other organizations, both in
the United States and abroad. International students contribute nearly
$37 billion to our economy and support over 450,000 U.S. jobs.
While we strongly support the government’s efforts to keep our nation
secure, we fear this broadly written prohibition will have a long-term
impact on our standing as a global leader and hamper our education and
research enterprise and the overall U.S. economy. As Justice Kennedy
suggested in his concurrence with the decision to uphold the travel ban,
the harsh rhetoric around immigration issues nonetheless can fuel a
perception of exclusion. This decision makes it far more difficult to
maintain the United States as the destination of choice for the world’s
best students, faculty, and scholars, regardless of their nationality.”