Responding to the Expanded Travel Ban

February 4, 2020

Dear students, staff and faculty,

Last Friday, the Trump administration expanded its travel ban (Proclamation 9723) to add new restrictions on immigration and travel from six countries—Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania—effective February 21, 2020. The new restrictions limit immigrant visas for foreign nationals seeking entry to the United States long-term.

As a member of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, I joined more than 450 college and university presidents in strongly opposing this action and calling for it to be reversed.

While this expansion of the 2017 travel ban is not expected to affect temporary travel or student visas, the ban will, nonetheless, have a chilling effect on international scholarship and the free and open exchange of knowledge.

To those members of our community whose families or countries of origin are affected by this and other travel bans enacted by the current administration: Know that you are welcome at Smith. Know that you are valued at Smith. And know that our community is made stronger by your presence.

Sincerely,
Kathleen McCartney
President